Meaning

noun one of many long thin braids of hair radiating from the scalp; popularized by Rastafarians

originBorrowed from Jamaican Creole dreadlocks, from dread (“of or relating to a dread”, adjective) (from dread (“(usually black) male member of the Rastafarian movement who wears his hair in dreadlocks”, noun), from English dread (“reverential or respectful fear; awe”), referring to the awe inspired by God) + English locks (plural of lock (“length or tuft of hair”)). The English word is analyzable as…

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0