adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of serrated
Explanation
A serrated edge is jagged. When a knife is described as having a serrated blade, its edge is lined with small teeth, similar to a saw's. It will cut tomatoes, bread, and meat more effectively than a smooth-edged blade. The adjective serrated comes from the Latin word serratus, meaning “notched like a saw.” Most often, it is swords and knives that are described as serrated, but some leaves, like those of the Ash and Maple trees, as well as certain flower petals, like carnations and some tulips, also have serrated edges. Great White sharks have serrated teeth so they can more easily rip the flesh of their prey. Yum.
Vocabulary lists containing serrated
Into Thin Air
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Thirteen Reasons Why
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Cormac McCarthy's "The Road"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
By 10 a.m., servers at the Geneva location were carrying in armfuls of coffee cups, bowls, serrated knives and silverware.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026
However, two specific types of polyps, -- adenomas and serrated polyps -- have the potential to develop into cancer over time.
From Science Daily • Mar. 13, 2026
Once it’s cool to the touch, use a serrated knife to slice it horizontally, creating a top and bottom layer for your sandwich.
From Salon • Feb. 3, 2026
Yet while “life happened,” as Simpson puts it, the serrated guitars and snotty-sweet vocals of her early music emerged as a key influence on younger artists making new connections between pop, rock and punk.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 26, 2025
It was deep, low, and raw—a voice like woodsmoke, serrated blades, and boots breaking through snow.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
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.
