kerf

UK: /kɜːf/ US: (kûrf )

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

kerf  (kûrf ), n. 

1. Building a cut or incision made by a saw or the like in a piece of wood.
2. Mining a deep cut a few inches high, used to undermine a portion of a coal or mineral seam.
3. the act of cutting or carving.

v.t. 

4. Building, Mining to make a kerf or kerfs in (a piece of wood, a coal seam, etc.).

• bef. 1000; Middle English kerf, kirf, Old English cyrf a cutting (cognate with Old Frisian kerf ); akin to carve

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

kerf / kɜːf/ noun

1. the cut made by a saw, axe, etc

Etymology: Old English cyrf a cutting; related to Old English ceorfan to carve