Labret

The traditional pronunciation of labret is /ˈleɪbrət/ or /ˈleɪbrɪt/ in American and British English, respectively, and in either case LAY-bruht. It derives from the Latin labrum, meaning "lip", and the diminutive suffix -et. Many in the body-piercing industry, however, give it the pronunciation /lɒˈbreɪ/ lo-BRAY, under the incorrect assumption that the word derives from French. The French word is in fact borrowed from English.

American Northwest Coast

The labret was a traditional piercing among the American Northwest Coast Indians, where it was related to status:

After 3,500 BP, a divergence in labret wear in north and south coasts. In the north from 1500-3500 BP, more labrets worn by males. After 1500 BP, labrets worn by females. In the south, between 2000-3500 BP, worn by males and females, but from 2000 BP on, labrets generally disappear and are replaced by cranial deformation by free males and females of whatever class (e.g. elite or commoner). So, for 4,000 years on the [northwest coast], it was important to distinguish certain individuals in a very direct manner; either by cranial deformation or by labret wear. Gender and geographical region may also be identified by these methods.

When a mask was being made to represent someone of high status, that mask would likewise have a labret.

Canadian Northwest Coast

Based on analysis of the history and social context of the labret on the Northwest Coast of British Columbia over the last 5,000 years, Marina LaSalle asserts that "while simple correlations of the labret with 'status' and 'gender' are not wrong, nonetheless they betray the complexity of body ornamentation which, though manifested materially, is highly contextual" and that "the labret is a symbol and expression of social identity that continues to hold significant meaning for the descendants of this heritage."

Alaska

The wearing of labrets was widely observed among Tlingit women of high status at the time of European and American arrivals in Southeast Alaska. The Russian term for the Tlingit, Koloshi, derived from an Alutiiq word for labret.

Pre-Columbian Americas

Labrets were used in certain Pre-Columbian cultures in the Americas, including by the Aztecs. Called tentetl (literally, "lip stone(s)" in the Aztec language Nahuatl, labrets were associated with status and power. The link between labrets and the nobility may have been reinforced by the link between the nobility and eloquence. The title for the leader of the Aztec empire was huei tlahtoani, literally "Great Speaker". Eloquence was expected of nobles; according to Durán, noble children "were told to speak without stuttering, without nervousness or haste". Positioned on the face directly below the lips, labrets likely highlighted the eloquence expected of nobles, and underscored their right to speak and be heard.

In contemporary styles, there are several different labret variations based on precisely where the piercing is positioned on the lower lip. These include a vertical labret (pierced with a curved barbell through the top of the lower lip rather than in front of the lip tissue), snake bites (dual piercings close together reminiscent of fangs), spiderbites (dual piercings very close together on the same side of the face), and a lowbret, which is placed as low as possible toward the chin. The initial piercing is usually done at 1.2, 1.6 or 2.0 mm diameter. After initial healing, the piercing can be (gradually) further stretched. Some people choose to stretch to sizes over 10 mm, and the jewelry worn at these larger sizes is usually a round or oval 'labret plug'.