serrated

Imagine the blade of a bread knife. That's what serrated means: having a rough edge with small, sharp points like the teeth of a saw. You might see it in a kitchen knife, the edge of a leaf, or the outline of a mountain range. This kind of edge helps a blade grip and cut things that might slide away from a smooth blade. In a wider sense, it can also describe anything that looks uneven and tooth-like along the edge.

The word "serrated" comes from the Latin word serra, meaning "saw." That gives you the picture right away: something serrated has an edge lined with small teeth, like the blade of a saw. Instead of being smooth, the edge is broken into sharp little points.

You'll often hear this word with tools, especially knives. A bread knife is a classic example. Its toothed edge helps it grip the crust and cut through the loaf without slipping too much. Some other cutting tools can also be described this way when their edges are made up of small teeth rather than one flat line.

But the word is not limited to tools. In nature, many leaves have serrated edges, with tiny points all along the sides. You can also use it for shapes in the distance, such as a mountain range with a sharp, uneven outline that looks like a row of teeth.

Sometimes the word is used more loosely for anything with a jagged, tooth-like border or outline. The main idea stays the same: not smooth, but cut into repeated sharp points. So if something looks as if a saw has shaped its edge, calling it serrated will usually fit.