dreadlocks
masculine, plural
The English phrase 'dreadlocks' is translated into French as dreadlocks.
The term refers to a hairstyle in which the hair is left to grow long, and twisted into long matted strings.
Meaning: hairstyle in which the hair is left to grow long, and twisted into long matted strings (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the French Caribbean islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe, the term tifs rasta is used for dreadlocks.
How does it change in a sentence?
As a loanword, dreadlocks is a masculine plural noun. It is used with the plural masculine article 'des' or 'les', such as in des dreadlocks.
Did you know?
- In some French-speaking urban circles, referring to dreads can function as a sociolinguistic marker of 'banlieue' or suburban youth culture.
- In the French Antilles, the term tifs rasta uses the slang word tifs to mean 'hair', a word that sounds much more aggressive or playful than the standard 'cheveux'.
- In France, the term dreadlocks is so integrated that it is often used as a generic term for any matted hair, regardless of whether the person follows the Rastafarian faith.
Examples in context
- Les cheveux rasta de Bob Marley sont une icône de la musique reggae.The dreadlocks of Bob Marley are an icon of reggae music.
- J'adore tes locks !I love your locks!
- Il a des dreadlocks.He has dreadlocks.
- Il a de belles dreadlocks.He has beautiful dreadlocks.
- Elle porte des dreadlocks très longues.She wears very long dreadlocks.
- Je veux me faire des dreadlocks.I want to get dreadlocks.
Example conversation
Emma and Hugo are discussing a new style at a hair salon.
- EmmaTu aimes ses dreadlocks ?Do you like his dreadlocks?
- HugoOui, elles sont très stylées.Yes, they are very stylish.
- EmmaEst-ce que Hugo pourrait porter ce style ?Could Hugo wear this style?
- HugoJe pense que ça lui irait bien.I think it would suit him well.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dreadlocks” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
