Selvage
/ˈsɛlvɪdʒ/noun
The edge of woven fabric that is finished to prevent unraveling.
Did you know?Selvage comes from the same ancient root as self and even salvage, all tied to the idea of something being whole, safe, or properly bounded.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sel-
“To be whole, intact, or entire”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*selbaz
“Self, own, one’s own”
Old English
OE
seolf
“Self, same, personally”
Middle English
ME
selvedge / selvage
“The self-edge of cloth, the finished edge”
Modern English
English
selvage
“The finished edge of woven fabric that prevents unraveling”