Woad/wəʊd/ Definition 1 of 2Pro Tip 1/3Historical Use Interestingly, woad was historically valued for its use in dyeing fabric. Museums display ancient textiles colored with woad. Pro Tip 2/3Cultural Significance Woad has cultural importance, being used by historical tribes in rituals and as body paint. Tribal ceremonies often involved painting with woad. Pro Tip 3/3Ancient Method Woad represented ancient techniques of textile production before synthetic dyes. They experimented with woad to improve ancient dyeing methods.