Seam

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /siːm/

Definitions

1. A line where two pieces of fabric or other materials are sewn or joined together ; a natural layer or vein of mineral or rock within the earth
2. The junction made by stitching or bonding two parts of a material ; a distinct stratum of mineral deposits found underground
3. The joined edge formed by sewing or connecting materials ; a continuous band of mineral or sediment embedded in rock

Etymology: The word "seam" has an unexpected pair of ancestors that share almost nothing with sewing. In Old English, the same spelling could mean "a seam" or "a burden," and the second sense traces back to Latin "sagma," meaning "saddle" or "pack-saddle." The Latin term was itself borrowed from Greek "ságma," which referred to a packsaddle loaded onto a beast of burden. A load carried on an animal's back and the join where two pieces of cloth are stitched together seem far apart, yet both come from the idea of something laid or fastened together. The line of stitching, however, descends from a separate Germanic root. Its ancestor, Proto-Germanic "saumaz," meant "that which is sewn," and it is cognate with Dutch "zoom" and German "Saum," both meaning "hem" or "edge." Its Old English form "sēam" passed into Middle English as "sem" or "seme," and the modern spelling settled in later centuries. Old English "sēam" and the Germanic word meaning "that which is sewn" appear to have merged in form, so the two strands share a spelling history.

Synonyms: joint, junction, connection, join, link

Antonyms: disconnection, separation, division, gap, break