seam

seam · noun, verb¹

1. Proto-Indo-European*syewH-
2. Proto-Germanic*saumaz
3. Proto-West Germanic*saum
4. Old Englishsēam
5. Old Norsesaumr
6. Middle Englishsem
7. English todayseam

From Middle English sem, seem, seme, from Old English sēam (“seam”), from Proto-West Germanic *saum, from Proto-Germanic *saumaz (“that which is sewn”). Cognate with Dutch zoom (“hem, edge”), German Saum (“hem, edge”), Danish and Norwegian Bokmål søm (“seam”), Norwegian Nynorsk saum (“seam”), Swedish söm (“seam”).

seam · noun²

1. Ancient Greekσάττω (sáttō)
2. Ancient Greekσάγμα (ságma)
3. Latinsagma
4. Late Latinsauma
5. Proto-West Germanic*saum
6. Old Englishsēam
7. Middle Englishsem
8. English todayseam

Inherited from Middle English sem, from Old English sēam (“a burden”), from Latin sagma (“saddle”).

seam · noun³

1. Late Latin*sagīmen
2. Old Frenchsaim
3. Middle Englishseym
4. English todayseam

From Middle English seym (“grease”), from Old French saim (“fat”). Compare French saindoux (“lard”).

Words from the same roots