Hem
/hɛm/noun
A folded and sewn edge on a piece of fabric, or the edge itself.
Did you know?Hem is an old Germanic word, and its history is about making edges stay put: the same root shows up in words for “home” and “hearth,” places defined by boundaries and enclosure.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ḱem-
“to lie down, rest, or settle”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*hēm-
“home, dwelling place”
Old English
OE
hām
“home, village, estate”
Middle English
ME
hemme
“an edge or border turned down and sewn”
Modern English
English
hem
“the folded and sewn edge of a garment”