different between verger vs serger

English

Alternative forms

• virger

Etymology

From verge (“rod”) +? -er.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?v??d???/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?v?d???/
• Rhymes: -??(?)d??(?)
• Homophone: verdure (one pronunciation)
• Hyphenation: verger

Noun

verger (plural vergers)

1. One who carries a verge, or emblem of office.
2. (chiefly Britain, Christianity) A lay person who takes care of the interior of a church and acts as an attendant during services, where he or she carries the verge (or virge). In the United States, the office is generally combined with that of sexton.
   • 1942, Emily Carr, “The Blessing”, in The Book of Small:^[1]

     As soon as we were all in the night the verger rolled shut the doors and blotted out the chandeliers.

3. (chiefly Britain, Christianity) An usher; also, in major ecclesiastical landmarks, a tour guide.
4. (Britain) An attendant upon a dignitary, such as a bishop or dean, a justice, etc.
   • 1725, John Strype, Annals of the Reformation and Establishment of Religion, and Other Various Occurrences in the Church of England, during Queen Elizabeth’s Happy Reign, Oxford: Clarendon, 1824, Vol. I, Part I, Chapter 23, p. 408,^[2]

     When she came to her place she opened the book, and perused it, and saw the pictures, but frowned and blushed; and then shut it, (of which several took notice,) and calling the verger, bade him bring her the old book, wherein she was formerly wont to read.

French

Etymology

From Middle French vergier, from Old French vergier, from Vulgar Latin *virdiariu, syncopated form of Latin viridi?rium, variant of virid?rium, from viridis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /v??.?e/

Noun

verger m (plural vergers)

1. orchard

Related terms

• vert

Further reading

• “verger” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

English

Etymology

From serge +? -er.

Noun

serger (plural sergers)

1. (sewing) A type of sewing machine designed to produce an overlock stitch and to cut the fabric as it stitches.
   • 2008, Shannon Okey, The Pillow Book: Over 25 Simple-to-Sew Patterns for Every Room and Every Mood, page 31,

     If using a serger instead of a sewing machine, remember to eliminate or otherwise take into account the seam allowances given to each pattern, or you may end up with a larger pillow than expected. […] Sergers, which create a series of overlapping stitches on the actual edge of the fabric, cutting away the excess, do not require seam allowances.

   • 2008, Madlyn Easley, Quick and Easy Window Treatments: 15 Easy-Sew Projects that Build Skills, Too, page 20,

     If you have a serger, you can use it to finish fabric edges so they don't ravel, but the zigzag stitch on your regular machine works well, too.

   • 2010, Cait London, Instinctive Male, page 158,

     With that, Mikhail sat down to place spools of thread on the serger, studying the directions and clearly dismissing her.

Synonyms

• (type of sewing machine): overlock machine

Related terms

• serge

Anagrams

• Greers, Regers