Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “seamster” come from?

seamster (English) comes from Middle English semster, from Old English sēamestre, from Old English sēam, from Proto-West Germanic saum, from Late Latin sauma, from Latin sagma, from Ancient Greek σάγμα, from Ancient Greek σάττω — to press, squeeze; to squeeze, press, pressure.

seamster (English): A person who sews clothes professionally

Definitions

  1. A person who sews clothes professionally

Ancestry of “seamster”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishsemster—
2Old Englishsēamestreseamstress
3Old Englishsēamseam; a burden
4Proto-West Germanicsaumstitch, seam, hem, edge; a load, burden;...
5Late Latinsaumapacksaddle; burden saddle, burden
6Latinsagmasaddle
7Ancient GreekσάγμαA covering, a clothing; the covering of a shield;...
8Ancient Greekσάττωto stuff quite full, cram, pack; to press close,...
9Proto-Indo-Europeantwenk-to press, squeeze; to squeeze, press, pressure

Words derived from “seamster”

  • seamstress
  • seamstressing
  • seamstressy
Every word from Proto-Indo-European twenk- →