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; seric-

Origin of serge²

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

Example Sentences

“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

It is a lot cheaper than spending big bucks with the physical therapist or orthopedist. — serge An important subject that deserves attention.

From New York Times • Dec. 21, 2010

The jacket of his blue serge suit was open, revealing a heavy gold chain linked between his vest pockets as he moved toward me with a noiseless tread.

From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison