A person who braids hair, rope, fabric, or other materials as their craft or profession.
From 'braid' (to interlace strands) + '-er' (one who does). The word 'braid' comes from Old English 'bredan' meaning to move quickly or pull apart, eventually coming to mean interlacing.
Professional braiders are masters of geometry—they're doing complex mathematical patterns at speed, which is why skilled braiders can command high prices and have waiting lists like celebrity restaurants.
Braiding labor has been historically gendered and racialized as 'women's work' and specifically devalued in African diaspora communities despite requiring skilled technical knowledge.
Use 'braider' neutrally for all practitioners; acknowledge braiding's cultural significance and the skilled artistry involved, particularly in Black and African hair traditions.
["hair braiding specialist","braid artist","fiber artist"]
Black women braiders maintain cultural heritage and economic independence through this practice; braiding traditions preserve African textile and hair arts against historical erasure.
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