serrate

1 of 2

adjective

: notched or toothed on the edge
specifically : having marginal teeth pointing forward or toward the apex
a serrate leaf

serrate

2 of 2

verb

serrated; serrating

transitive verb

: to mark or make with serrations
a serrated knife

Examples of serrate in a Sentence

Adjective a serrate saw
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Unlike the 16th century, today, coins have the same physical consistency and in general there is little incentive for people to shave bits off coins (historically coins have serrated edges to prevent this) but broadly the Gresham’s Law is applicable in different domains. Mike O'Sullivan, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025 Cut dough using a floured, serrated knife into 16 squares. Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 17 Apr. 2025 Leaves are deep green and gently serrated with pale violet to pinkish-white flowers. Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 20 Mar. 2025 Roll this sheet into a log, then cut it with a sharp or serrated knife into about 15 slices. Tribune Content Agency, The Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2024 See All Example Sentences for serrate

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin serratus, from serra saw

Verb

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

First Known Use

Adjective

1668, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1750, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of serrate was in 1668

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Serrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/serrate. Accessed 2 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

serrate

adjective
ser·​rate
ˈse(ə)r-ˌāt,
sə-ˈrāt
: having a saw-toothed edge
a serrate leaf
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