seam

[ seem ]

/ sim /

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See synonyms for: seam / seamed / seaming on Thesaurus.com

noun

the line formed by sewing together pieces of cloth, leather, or the like.

the stitches used to make such a line.

any line formed by abutting edges.

any linear indentation or mark, as a wrinkle or scar.

Knitting. a line of stitches formed by purling.

Geology. a comparatively thin stratum; a bed, as of coal.

verb (used with object)

to join with or as if with stitches; make the seam or seams of.

to furrow; mark with wrinkles, scars, etc.

Knitting. to knit with or in a seam.

verb (used without object)

to become cracked, fissured, or furrowed.

Knitting. to make a line of stitches by purling.

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Origin of seam

before 1000; Middle English seme (noun), Old English sēam; cognate with German Saum hem; akin to sew¹, Greek hymḗn membrane (see hymen)

OTHER WORDS FROM seam

seamer, nounun·der·seam, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use seam in a sentence

Pinch the seam so it’s well sealed, and roll the dough over once onto itself to make sure it’s tight.
Ease into Winter with Backcountry-Approved Comfort Food|Christina Bernstein|November 12, 2020|Outside Online
To clean bags that cannot be laundered, spray them with a disinfectant then wipe them down, making sure the seams are free from drips and stains.
Hints From Heloise: Keeping reusable grocery bags free of germs|Heloise Heloise|November 6, 2020|Washington Post
The low-profile back clip and flat seams make it comfy under a helmet, and the 100 percent recycled nylon material is DWR coated to shed all the pow you encounter.
The Best Hats of 2021|Maren Larsen|October 26, 2020|Outside Online
Smartwool’s Intraknit range is woven without seams and with integrated ventilation.
How to Layer for Outdoor Dining This Fall and Winter|Wes Siler|October 14, 2020|Outside Online

The seams aren’t flatlocked but they are smartly positioned to avoid chafing.
Our Gear Guy's 5 Favorite Running Tees|Joe Jackson|October 5, 2020|Outside Online
The post-dinner conversations of staffers and policy-makers was seamed with shame, and even defeatism.
Indefensible but Indispensable America|Jamie Dettmer|December 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He was a biggish lad, with a boyish, slightly mischievous grin, and thoughtfulness and consideration were seamed in his character.
The James Foley I Knew in the ISIS War Zone|Jamie Dettmer|August 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Every female extra wore the right girdle and seamed stockings; every man had the correct length tie.
Book of Mormon's Magnificent Costumes|Isabel Wilkinson|April 15, 2011|DAILY BEAST
The old man, grizzled, tanned and seamed, leant weakly against the parapet.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol|William J. Locke
Angular and bony, with slightly stooped shoulders, his face is a mass of minute wrinkles seamed on yellow parchment.
Prison Memoirs of an Anarchist|Alexander Berkman
Blew in two faces & got good looking ore seamed with a black incrustation, oxide of something, but what could not determine.
Cabin Fever|B. M. Bower
Dr. Hamilton sat in his little office, looking pale and worn, his face deeply seamed with lines of care.
Love's Pilgrimage|Upton Sinclair
The pore Italyin's monky, sittin mopin and meluncolly on his box, was not half so ugly, and seamed quite as reasonabble.
Memoirs of Mr. Charles J. Yellowplush|William Makepeace Thackeray

British Dictionary definitions for seam

seam

/ (siːm) /

noun

the line along which pieces of fabric are joined, esp by stitching

a ridge or line made by joining two edges

a stratum of coal, ore, etc

a linear indentation, such as a wrinkle or scar

surgery another name for suture (def. 1b)

(modifier) cricket of or relating to a style of bowling in which the bowler utilizes the stitched seam round the ball in order to make it swing in flight and after touching the grounda seam bowler

bursting at the seams full to overflowing

in a good seam Northern English dialect doing well, esp financially

verb

(tr) to join or sew together by or as if by a seam

US to make ridges in (knitting) using purl stitch

to mark or become marked with or as if with a seam or wrinkle

Word Origin for seam

Old English; related to Old Norse saumr, Old High German soum

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for seam

seam

[ sēm ]

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with seam

seam

see burst at the seams; come apart at the seams.

seam

Origin of seam

OTHER WORDS FROM seam

Words related to seam

How to use seam in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for seam

Word Origin for seam

Scientific definitions for seam

Other Idioms and Phrases with seam