1. Long curls of hair worn by some Orthodox Jewish men, typically hanging down in front of the ears; also spelled peyess or payos.
Usage: Also spelled peyess, payos, or peyos; Plural: payess or payesim; From Yiddish and Hebrew

Examples

• The young man wore his payess long as a sign of his religious devotion.
• In the Orthodox community, payess are grown according to traditional custom.
• He tucked his payess behind his ears before putting on his hat.
• The rabbi's payess were braided and reached past his shoulders.
• Growing payess is a practice rooted in the interpretation of biblical law.