A plait (rhymes with “bat”) is a braid made by weaving three or more strands together in an overlapping pattern. When you plait hair, you divide it into sections and cross them over each other repeatedly, creating a rope-like pattern that keeps the hair neat and secure. People have been plaiting hair for thousands of years, in cultures all around the world.

You can plait more than just hair. Basketweavers plait strips of reed or straw to create sturdy containers. Bakers plait dough to make braided bread called challah. Sailors plait rope to make it stronger. The overlapping pattern makes plaited materials more durable than loose strands would be on their own.

The word can also be a noun: you might admire someone's long plait hanging down their back, or notice the decorative plaits on a show horse's mane. In some English-speaking countries, particularly Britain, people use plait where Americans would typically say braid, though both words mean the same thing.