Saw-toothed describes something shaped like the cutting edge of a saw, with a row of sharp points going up and down in a zigzag pattern. If you look closely at a saw blade (carefully!), you'll see those triangular teeth, one after another: up to a point, down to a valley, up to another point. That distinctive pattern shows up in many places.

Some leaves have saw-toothed edges, like elm or chestnut leaves, with tiny points all along their borders. Mountain ranges can appear saw-toothed when you view them from a distance, with peak after peak creating that familiar zigzag silhouette against the sky. In graphs and charts, a saw-toothed line moves up sharply, drops down, then shoots up again, repeating that angular pattern.

The term captures both the shape and the sharpness: saw-toothed things look pointed and angular, not smooth or curved. When you see that repeating pattern of triangular peaks, you're looking at something saw-toothed.