a twilled worsted or woolen fabric used especially for clothing.
cotton, rayon, or silk in a twill weave.
a twill-weave woollen or worsted fabric used for clothing
a similar twilled cotton, silk, or rayon fabric
1350–1400; < French; replacing Middle English sarge < Middle French < Vulgar Latin *sārica, for Latin sērica ( lāna ) Chinese (wool), i.e., silk; see seric-
Perhaps to be identified with serge 1, though sense shift is unclear
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A Negro man in old-fashioned brogues and serge britches walked out of the light.
From New York Times ● Nov. 11, 2020
“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
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
For the girls, it was dotted Swiss and matching hair ribbons and sashes; for the boys, blue serge suits and Buster Brown collars, with red, generous bow ties.
From "Cheaper by the Dozen" by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
The show starred some of the most iconic post-war ballet dancers — Serge Golovine, Rosella Hightower, Jacqueline Moreau — but Vérots didn’t focus on them.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026
Keen-eyed fashion historians noticed that the late British singer and actor Jane Birkin caused a stir by wearing an almost identical dress to a Paris gala in 1969 with her then-partner Serge Gainsbourg.
From Barron's ● May 22, 2026
Two other doctors, including his wife, Rebekah Stafford, and Patrick LaRochelle, were likely exposed to the virus but were still asymptomatic as of Monday, Serge said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 19, 2026
The other two physicians — Rebekah Stafford, who is Peter Stafford’s wife, and Patrick LaRochelle — are both asymptomatic, according to Serge.
From MarketWatch ● May 18, 2026
We breakfasted tête-à-tête, as all the gentlemen have gone off to the Convent of St. Serge, which is one of the things to see here.
From Letters of a Diplomat's Wife 1883-1900 by Waddington, Mary King
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 Copeland, Vanness
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 Copeland, Vanness
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
