dreadlocks

[ dred-loks ]

noun

, (used with a plural verb)

1. a hairstyle, especially among Rastafarians, in which the hair is worn in long, ropelike locks.

dreadlocks

/ ˈdrɛdˌlɒks /

plural noun

1. hair worn in the Rastafarian style of long matted or tightly curled strands

Word History and Origins

Origin of dreadlocks¹

First recorded in 1955–60; dread + lock ² + -s ³

Example Sentences

Officials suspended Darryl George, 19, last August, saying his dreadlocks violated the dress code.

From BBC

Mr Njuguna says he thought his friend was profiled by the officer who shot him because he had dreadlocks.

From BBC

He is "depressed", his lawyer George Musisi told BBC News, and having to cut off the dreadlocks he spent 17 years growing is one of the main reasons.

From BBC

Benjamin Deshon Provo claimed he had faced discrimination because he is Muslim and was ordered to cut his dreadlocks or be fired.

From BBC

When he started a five-month prison term for drug possession in Louisiana, his dreadlocks fell nearly to his knees.

From New York Times

Related Words

• braid
• haircut
• hairdo
• headdress
• ponytail