## Meanings
1. showing the unpleasant or sordid aspects of life, often those hidden or ignored
2. relating to or resembling a seam, especially in being rough or uneven

## Examples
- The novel explores the seamy side of urban life.
- The fabric had a seamy texture that was uncomfortable to wear.

## Synonyms
- sleazy
- sordid
- disreputable
- unsavory
- corrupt
- grimy
- gritty
- shabby
- unwholesome
- rough

## Antonyms
- wholesome
- respectable
- reputable
- pleasant

## Etymology
seamy (Early Modern English, 'having seams; unsightly, hence unpleasant'); from _seam_ (Old English _sēam_, 'seam, suture'), originally referring to the rough underside of sewn fabric where the seams show.

## AI Etymology
Seamy is a Early Modern English word meaning 'having seams; unsightly, hence unpleasant', from seam (Old English sēam, 'seam, suture'), originally referring to the rough underside of sewn fabric where the seams show. In current use it is an adjective meaning "showing the unpleasant or sordid aspects of life, often those hidden or ignored". That sense is explained by the older material without requiring a speculative semantic step: the inherited or borrowed base supplies the field of meaning, while the English formation fixes its modern role. The history is mainly one of transmission into English, with the older form and sense carried through borrowing or adaptation. For dictionary purposes, the important point is the continuity between the older form, the route into English, and the present lexical sense.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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