Interlaced means woven together or crossed over each other in an alternating pattern. When you interlace your fingers, you fold your hands together so each finger crosses between two fingers from the other hand, creating a tight, connected grip.

Think of how a basket is made: thin strips of wood or reed cross over and under each other repeatedly, creating a strong structure from flexible pieces. That's interlacing. A chain-link fence shows interlaced metal wires, where each diamond shape connects to the ones around it. When you braid hair, three strands become interlaced into a single rope-like pattern.

The word suggests more than things just touching or sitting next to each other. Interlaced parts weave through one another, alternating which piece goes on top. Medieval knights wore interlaced metal rings called chain mail for protection. These tiny rings, each looped through several others, created flexible armor that was difficult to pierce.

You might read about interlaced tree roots in a forest, where different trees' roots grow around and through each other underground, or interlaced plot lines in a novel, where separate stories weave together and affect each other throughout the book.