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seam

(sēm)

a. A line of junction formed by sewing together two pieces of material along their margins.

b. A similar line, ridge, or groove made by fitting, joining, or lapping together two sections along their edges.

c. A suture.

d. A scar.

2. A line across a surface, as a crack, fissure, or wrinkle.

3. A thin layer or stratum, as of coal or rock.

v. seamed, seam·ing, seams

v.tr.

1. To put together with or as if with a seam.

2. To mark with a groove, wrinkle, scar, or other seamlike line.

v.intr.

To become fissured or furrowed; crack open.

[Middle English seme, from Old English sēam; see syū- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

seamer n.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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