Looking up...
serrated
/ˈsɛɹ.eɪ.tɪd/
having a jagged edge
The knife had a serrated blade, perfect for cutting bread.
The knife had sharp, jagged edges, making it ideal for slicing bread with a crust.
Engineering
technical
Having a notched or saw-like edge, resembling a saw's teeth.
The serrated edge of the saw makes it easier to cut through wood.
The jagged teeth on the saw's edge allow for more efficient cutting of wooden materials.
Dental tools often have serrated tips for better grip.
Dental instruments use serrated edges to securely hold and manipulate tissues.
Commonly used to describe tools, weapons, or natural formations with jagged edges.
general
Notched or toothed along the edge, like a saw.
A serrated knife is better for slicing tomatoes than a smooth one.
A knife with a jagged edge cuts tomatoes more effectively than a straight-edged knife.
The serrated leaves of the plant made it easy to identify.
The plant's leaves had jagged edges, helping to distinguish it from similar species.
Collocations
serrated bladea blade with jagged edges, like a sawserrated edgea notched or toothed edgeserrated knifea knife with a jagged cutting edge
Pro Tip
Remembering the meaning
Associate 'serrated' with 'saw'—both share the same Latin root (*serra*). A serrated edge looks like a saw's teeth.
Gold Rule
Tool descriptions
Use 'serrated' to describe tools like knives, saws, or blades with jagged edges designed for cutting or gripping.
Avoid figurative misuse
While 'serrated' can metaphorically describe irregularities, it is primarily used for physical, jagged edges.
Word Origin
From Latin *serratus*, past participle of *serrare* ('to saw'), derived from *serra* ('saw'). First used in English in the early 17th century.
Usage Notes
The word is often used literally to describe physical objects with jagged edges. In figurative contexts, it can describe something that is irregular or uneven, though this usage is less common.
Word Breakdown
serr-
from Latin *serra* ('saw')
root-ated
forms adjectives with the sense of 'provided with'
suffixEnglish Dictionary