overlock

This term is highly specialized and primarily used within the context of garment construction and textile arts. It describes a specific technical process where the fabric edge is wrapped in thread, creating a durable finish that prevents the weave from unraveling.

In professional settings, it is often used interchangeably with the term serging, though overlock is the more common term in British English. As a noun, the word refers to both the physical machinery (the overlocker or serger) and the resulting stitch pattern.