How to pronounce selvage
Say it like SEL-vij. Selvage has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SEL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce selvage. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SEL
- vij
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Selvage pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SELSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- vijKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of selvage
American and British speakers say selvage in essentially the same way: /ˈsɛlvɪdʒ/ in the US and /ˈsɛlvɪdʒ/ in the UK.
British respelling: SEL-vij.
What does selvage mean?
- The edge of a woven fabric, where the weft (side-to-side) threads run around the warp (top to bottom) threads, creating a finished edge.
- Any edge of fabric finished so as to prevent raveling.
- The excess area of any printed or perforated sheet, such as the border on a sheet of postage stamps or the wide margins of an engraving.
- To give a selvage to (fabric).
Where does selvage come from?
From early modern Dutch selfegghe (Modern Dutch zelfkant (“selvage”)), equivalent to self + edge.
Questions about saying selvage
How do you pronounce selvage?
Say SEL-vij. The American pronunciation is /ˈsɛlvɪdʒ/. In British English it is /ˈsɛlvɪdʒ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in selvage?
Selvage has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SEL). Broken into parts: SEL · vij.
Do Americans and Brits say selvage the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈsɛlvɪdʒ/ and the British form is /ˈsɛlvɪdʒ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.