ringlet

plural ringlets

1. A small ring.
2. A lock, tress.

   Her hair was in ringlets.

   2 more examples

   For knovv by lot from Jove I am the povvr / Of this fair VVood, and live in Oak'n bovvr, / To nurſe the Saplings tall, and curl the grove / VVith ringlets quaint, and vvanton vvindings vvove.

   1634, John Milton, “Arcades”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, […], London: […] Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Mosely, […], published 1646, →OCLC, pages 53–54

   She was both beautiful and young to their eyes. Her hair was a rich red in color and fell in flowing ringlets over her shoulders. Her dress was pure white but her eyes were blue, and they looked kindly upon the little girl.

   1900 May 17, L[yman] Frank Baum, chapter 23, in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Chicago, Ill.; New York, N.Y.: Geo[rge] M[elvin] Hill Co., →OCLC

3. biologyAny of various butterflies with small rings on the wings, in the tribe Satyrini of the family Nymphalidae, such as Aphantopus hyperantus.

present singular third person ringlets · participle present ringleting · participle past ringleted · past ringleted

1. transitiveTo form into ringlets.

   "It's very becoming!" said Pollie coaxingly, taking his curly head, which she had been brushing and ringleting for the last half hour, all damp, into her arms.

   1877, Ella Farman, Good-for-nothing Polly, page 163

2. transitiveTo surround or encircle like a ringlet.

   I think now that if it had gripped me with those suckers, I would have gone out into the mist too. But it didn't. It grabbed Norm. And the third tentacle ringleted his other ankle. Now he was being pulled away from me.

   1980, Stephen King, The Mist, Viking Press