saw-toothed

adjective

Having a jagged edge like a saw.

Meanings

adjectivesaw-toothed (not comparable)
  1. not comparableHaving a jagged edge like a saw.

    […] everywhere between the poplar stems the saw-toothed outline of the western forts cuts the blue sky.

    1857, Charles Kingsley, chapter 5, in Two Years Ago, volume 3, Cambridge: Macmillan, page 135
    4 more examples

    But afterwards three of their Companie were slaine, who in seeking food for life, found death at the hand of naked Sauages, whose weapons were Saw-toothed Darts, which if they entred, must be cut out of the flesh.

    1625, Samuel Purchas, chapter 5, in Purchas his Pilgrimes, volume 1, book 2, London: Henry Fetherstone, page 79

    Craning our necks, we could see that what we had taken for the shore-line on that side was actually a high, thin, saw-toothed ledge of rock […]

    1929, Dashiell Hammett, chapter 17, in The Dain Curse, New York: Vintage, published 1972, page 149

    To the south the landscape changes and the gradient profile immediately becomes saw-toothed, as the line rises and falls with the rolling undulations of this rich farming countryside; [...].

    1961 January, G. H. Robin, “Resorts for Railfans - 32: Ayr”, in Trains Illustrated, page 49

    Hours later, having brought in the yellow raft laden with supplies to the green shore, then hidden them in the saw-toothed tall grass, an exhausted Cohn followed Buz into the forest.

    1982, Bernard Malamud, “The Flood”, in God’s Grace, New York: Avon, published 1983, page 31

    Synonyms: saw-tooth, jaggy, serrated

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveHaving a jagged edge like a saw.

More synonyms by meaning

adjectivenotched like a saw with teeth pointing toward the apex

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Translations

Ancient Greek καρχαρόδους
  • καρχαρόδους (karkharódous)having a jagged edge like a saw
Bulgarian назъбен, трионовиден
  • назъбен (nazăben)having a jagged edge like a saw
  • трионовиден (trionoviden)having a jagged edge like a saw
Finnish sahalaitainen, sahahampainen
  • sahalaitainenhaving a jagged edge like a saw
  • sahahampainenhaving a jagged edge like a saw
Polish pilasty
  • pilastyhaving a jagged edge like a saw
Romanian ferestruit, fierăstruit
  • ferestruithaving a jagged edge like a saw
  • fierăstruithaving a jagged edge like a saw
Cite this entry
APA

saw-toothed. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/saw-toothed

MLA

“saw-toothed.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/saw-toothed. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “saw-toothed,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/saw-toothed.

Source: saw-toothed on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.