1. A braid, especially of hair.
2. A pleat.

1. To braid.
2. To pleat.
3. To make by braiding.

[Middle English pleit, fold, braid, possibly from pleiten, to fold, braid, alteration (influenced by Old French pleit, fold) of Old French plier, pleiir, from Latin plicāre, to fold.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.