Jagged
/ˈdʒæɡɪd/noun
Having rough, sharp, uneven points or edges.
Did you know?Jagged is tied to an old English dialect word for a sharp point or spike, and its history shows how everyday English often grew out of blunt, physical images before becoming abstract.
Etymological Timeline
Old English / Middle English
English
jagge / jagged
“A pointed projection, notch, or sharp irregular edge”
Early Modern English
English
jagged
“Having irregular, projecting points or teeth”
Modern English
English
jagged
“Marked by rough, uneven, sharply projecting edges”
Old Norse
ON
tagg
“A spike, tooth, or prong (a related Germanic source for sharp-point imagery)”
Explore more surprising origins