cornrow

plural cornrows

1. in pluralOne of a set of rows of tightly braided hair close to the scalp, forming a hairstyle, of African origin.

   Coolio, whose spindly and sprouting cornrows defined his look, went on to sell over 17 million records throughout his career.

   2022 September 29, Eduardo Medina, McKenna Oxenden, “Coolio, ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’ Rapper, Dies at 59”, in The New York Times, →ISSN

   1 more example

   The physician should evaluate for a history of tight ponytails, buns, chignons, braids, twists, weaves, cornrows, dreadlocks, sisterlocks, and hair wefts in addition to the usage of religious hair coverings.

   2021, Becky S. Li, Howard I. Maibach, Ethnic Skin and Hair and Other Cultural Considerations, page 154

present singular third person cornrows · participle present cornrowing · participle past cornrowed · past cornrowed

1. transitiveTo braid the hair in this fashion.

   She had been hoping Sisi would help her cornrow her hair.

   2009, Chika Unigwe, On Black Sisters’ Street, Vintage (2010), page 4

   1 more example

   He [...] passed his hand over her hair, which was now neatly cornrowed.

   2005, Helen Oyeyemi, The Icarus Girl, Bloomsbury, page 50