A seam is the line along which two fabrics are stitched together. A seam may also describe the place where two edges of any type of material meet or a fissure or scar in the face of some type of material. Finally, a layer of coal or other ore occurring underground is also called a seam. Seam may be used as a noun or a verb, related words are seams, seamed, seaming. The word seam is derived from the Old English word, sēam.
Seem means to have the appearance of a certain quality, giving an impression. Seem is a verb, related words are seems, seemed and seeming. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, seem is one of the top one thousand most frequently used words. Seem comes from the Old Norse word sœma.
Examples
Australian gas users have suffered as a result of the export of natural gas from Queensland and will suffer more if state governments persist with bans and moratoriums on the mining of coal seam gas, a major review has found. (The Sydney Morning Herald)
Struggling oil and gas producer MIE Holdings has unveiled its second major asset disposal in two months, agreeing to sell its two coal seam natural gas projects in Shanxi province for around US$220 million to a mysterious firm registered in Hong Kong. (The South China Morning Post)
The earliest purses were actually pockets — constructed separately from garments, and tied on underneath one’s petticoat, accessed through slits in the side seams. (The San Antonio Express-News)
Raiders now seem more likely to move to Las Vegas than Los Angeles (The Washington POst)
Our state motto is “To be, rather than to seem.” (The Winston-Salem JOurnal)
And about how the objects also seem to have a kind of mystery, seeming to glow out of their dark background. (The Guardian)