noun
bead
BEED
noun
1
A small, often round piece of glass, wood, or plastic with a hole through it, used for jewellery or decoration.
"She strung wooden beads onto a leather cord."
"The dress was covered in tiny glass beads."
2
A small drop of liquid, such as sweat or condensation.
"Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he worked."
3
One of the small balls on a rosary, used for counting prayers.
"She fingered her prayer beads while reciting the rosary."
How to Use Bead
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA small decorative ball with a hole through it, or more generally, any tiny round drop or object.
Common mistake
The phrase "draw a bead on" (to take aim) comes from the small bead-shaped sight at the end of a gun barrel, not from jewellery.
Common pairings
string of beads
beads of sweat
draw a bead on
Word Forms
beaded past tense, beads plural, beads singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “bead”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
She strung wooden _____ onto a leather cord.
Etymology
From Old English "bed," meaning "prayer," since strings of beads were originally used to count prayers — the object eventually took the name of the act it helped track.