dreadlocks hairstyle Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/animal/dreadlocks Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/animal/dreadlocks Also known as: dredlocks, dredlocs, locks, locs Written by Laura Payne Laura Payne is a freelance writer whose work covers many topics. She is a former Wayne State University linguistics instructor. Laura Payne, Charles Preston Charles Preston is Associate Editor for Religion at Encyclopædia Britannica. Charles Preston•All Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Aug 9, 2024 • Article History Table of Contents Also called: locs, locks, dredlocs, or dredlocks (Show more) dreadlocks, hairstyle consisting of ropelike strands of knotted hair formed by methods including twisting, backcombing, palm rolling, and braiding, or by allowing hair to mat and tangle on its own. A distinction is made between what are also sometimes called locs (short for locks) and dreads. Locs are characterized by their more cultivated look, with defined roots and even partings. Dreads are more natural in appearance, tend to vary in size, and present as a unified mass that gradually separates into individual strands. The term dreadlock also has a strong connection to the religion of Rastafari, whereas the term loc ...(100 of 1729 words)

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