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• serge
  serge

  noun

  a twilled worsted or woolen fabric used especially for clothing.
• Serge
  Serge

  noun

  a male given name.

serge

¹ American  

[surj] / sɜrdʒ /

noun

1. a twilled worsted or woolen fabric used especially for clothing.

2. cotton, rayon, or silk in a twill weave.

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serge ² American  

[surj] / sɜrdʒ /

verb (used with object)

serged, serging

1. to overcast (unfinished seams or edges, as in a fabric or rug), especially by machine, in order to prevent fraying.

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Serge ³ American  

[surj, serzh] / sɜrdʒ, sɛrʒ /

noun

1. a male given name.

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serge British  

/ sɜːdʒ /

noun

1. a twill-weave woollen or worsted fabric used for clothing

2. a similar twilled cotton, silk, or rayon fabric

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Etymology

Origin of serge¹

1350–1400; < French; replacing Middle English sarge < Middle French < Vulgar Latin *sārica, for Latin sērica ( lāna ) Chinese (wool), i.e., silk; see seric-

Origin of serge²

Perhaps to be identified with serge ¹, though sense shift is unclear

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

serge Serge serged serging

“Many of the long-stay male patients were poorly attired; the fronts of their thick serge shirts were heavily stained with food and there was a dearth of ties,” they wrote.

From The New Yorker ● Feb. 25, 2019

A tank commander--Vasily Falin wore all his medals on his blue serge suit to the dinner we had in his honor at a restaurant in the city then called Leningrad.

From New York Times ● Nov. 15, 2017

Mina Van Winkle — the socialite social worker once known for her blue serge suit, white kid gloves, veil and “a faint hint of perfume” — died in 1933 at age 57.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 19, 2016

The man spots a Model-T pulling up and a young stranger getting out, dressed in a blue serge suit.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 19, 2012

Henry’s blue serge Sunday pants were creased to painful sharpness, his tan jacket smelled of cleaning fluid; Jean Louise recognized Jem’s light-blue necktie.

From "Go Set a Watchman: A Novel" by Harper Lee

"A little bit of hunger is good for you," says Serge Pizzorno.

From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026

Serge stepped up as frontman and, to his surprise, Kasabian gained a new lease of life.

From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026

“Nobody knows Paze,” says Serge Elkiner, who runs it.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

Trade Minister Serge Papin last week said the bill would target the main players including three companies, which he said are driving the surge in ultra-fast fashion.

From Barron's ● Jun. 29, 2026

The Blue Serge Man's lips were all a-grin, but a scar across his forehead gave a certain tense, stricken dignity to his eyes.

From The Sick-a-Bed Lady And Also Hickory Dock, The Very Tired Girl, The Happy-Day, Something That Happened in October, The Amateur Lover, Heart of The City, The Pink Sash, Woman's Only Business by Eleanor Hallowell Abbott

Buttonholes should be overcasted or serged as soon as cut, with fine thread or silk, the stitches should be light, loose and even, this is done with a slanting stitch.

From The Copeland Method A Complete Manual for Cleaning, Repairing, Altering and Pressing All Kinds of Garments for Men and Women, at Home or for Busines by Vanness Copeland

This method takes the place of serging or overcasting and is much better for thin ravelly goods.

From The Copeland Method A Complete Manual for Cleaning, Repairing, Altering and Pressing All Kinds of Garments for Men and Women, at Home or for Busines by Vanness Copeland