Long, twisted strands of hair that are matted together, or a plural of dread meaning deep fear or anxiety.
From Old English 'dræd' (fear). As a hairstyle, 'dreadlocks' or 'dreads' became popularized in the 1970s through Jamaican reggae culture and Rastafarianism, though similar styles existed in many cultures throughout history.
The hairstyle 'dreadlocks' probably got its name because British colonialists found the style 'dreadful' looking—but the style itself is thousands of years old, appearing in ancient Egypt, India, and Polynesia!
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