serrate

adjective ser·rate \ ˈser-ˌāt , sə-ˈrāt \

Definition of serrate

:notched or toothed on the edge; specifically :having marginal teeth pointing forward or toward the apex

a serrate leaf

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Origin and Etymology of serrate

Latin serratus, from serra saw

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First Known Use: 1668

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serrate Synonyms

Synonyms

saw-toothed, serrated

Related Words

serried; jagged, ragged; wavy

Near Antonyms

flat, smooth

serrate

verb ser·rate \ sə-ˈrāt , ˈser-ˌāt \

Definition of serrate

serrated; serrating

transitive verb

:to mark or make with serrations

a serrated knife

Recent Examples of serrate from the Web

He was found with a bloody, serrated knife with a blade about six inches long, according to court records.

— maxine bernstein, OregonLive.com, "Man charged with assaulting two women in Portland enters not guilty pleas to 27-count indictment," 3 Aug. 2017
Brandless also carries steak knives, paring knives, and serrated bread knives for three bucks a pop.

— maria carter, Country Living, "The $3 Chef's Knife Everyone's Talking About," 21 July 2017
But in looking at the serrated, blade-like teeth of Megalosaurus, Buckland saw the beneficence of God.

— brian switek, Scientific American Blog Network, "Nothing but the Tooth," 10 July 2017
Unlike modern crocodiles, Razana had a large jaw and serrated teeth similar to that of a T-Rex, suggesting that the animal was a top hunter and scavenger in the Middle Jurassic.

— mahita gajanan, Time, "Scientists Discovered a Giant Crocodile With T-Rex Teeth That's Straight Out of Your Nightmares," 5 July 2017
The rest of the knives, some of which were serrated, were found in different areas of her kitchen.

— paige cornwell, The Seattle Times, "Seattle police release statements from officers who killed Charleena Lyles," 23 June 2017
Cut loaves into 3/4-inch slices with a serrated knife.

— claire perez, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Dip this in your coffee: Stork's almond biscotti," 9 June 2017
But nothing compares to the dissonance of two leaf blowers going simultaneously that cuts through you like a serrated knife.

— linda robertson, miamiherald, "Could this be the worst noise ever? Leaf blowers give and get an earful," 25 May 2017
A stark and unsettling horror chamber piece, Sacred Deer traffics in a steadily mounting dread serrated with pitch-black humor.

— vanityfair.com, "Colin Farrell and Nicole Kidman Face an Unthinkably Horrible Decision in The Killing of a Sacred Deer," 22 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'serrate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of serrate

Late Latin serratus, past participle of serrare to saw, from Latin serra

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First Known Use: 1750

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serrate

Definition of serrate

Origin and Etymology of serrate

serrate Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

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serrate

Definition of serrate

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Origin and Etymology of serrate

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