tresser

Tresser is a French verb meaning to braid, plait, or weave by interlacing strands of hair, fibers, or other materials. It is used in contexts ranging from hairdressing to crafts and textiles. The noun form related to the action is tresse, which denotes a braid, and the related term tressage refers to the technique or result of braiding. The adjective form for something that is braided is tressé, and the present participle is tressant.

Conjugation and forms are characteristic of regular -er verbs in contemporary French. In the present tense, the forms are: je tresse, tu tresses, il tresse, nous tressons, vous tressez, ils tressent. The past participle is tressé, used with auxiliary verbs to form compound tenses, and the present participle is tressant. Other related forms include the noun tresse (a braid) and the verb tresser itself as the action of braiding.

Etymology and usage note that the term derives from the noun tresse. In everyday French, tresser is a common verb for hair braiding and for braiding various materials, such as cords, ribbons, or threads. In English-language contexts, the verb tresser is rarely used; English speakers typically say braid or plait, while the noun tresse appears primarily in bilingual or historical texts. In bilingual or stylistic writing, tresser may appear as a loanword or quoted term.

See also: tresse, tressage, tressé, tressant, braid, plait.