A bead is a small object with a hole through its center so it can be threaded onto string, wire, or cord. Beads come in countless shapes, sizes, and materials: glass, wood, plastic, metal, clay, or precious stones. People string them together to make jewelry like necklaces and bracelets, or use them to decorate clothing, curtains, and art projects.

Beads have been important throughout human history. Ancient cultures used them as jewelry, money, and symbols of status or religious meaning. Native American tribes created intricate beadwork patterns on clothing and ceremonial items. In many places, skilled craftspeople still practice traditional beading techniques passed down through generations.

The word also appears in the phrase draw a bead on, which means to take careful aim at something, originally with a gun's front sight (called a bead). In chemistry, a bead might refer to a small droplet of liquid forming on a surface, like beads of sweat on someone's forehead or beads of water on a freshly waxed car.

When you're working on a craft project and someone asks you to hand them the beads, they're talking about those small, colorful objects ready to be strung into something beautiful.