dreadlocks

The story

1. English · derived fromlocks
2. English · derived fromdread“reverential or respectful fear; awe”
3. Jamaican Creole · borrowed fromdreadlocks
4. English todaydreadlocks

Borrowed from Jamaican Creole dreadlocks, from dread (“of or relating to a dread”, adjective) (from dread (“(usually black) male member of the Rastafarian movement who wears his hair in dreadlocks”, noun), from English dread (“reverential or respectful fear; awe”), referring to the awe inspired by God) + English locks (plural of lock (“length or tuft of hair”)). The English word is analyzable as dread (“Rastafarian”, attributive) + locks.