serif
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serif
- /ˈsɛɹɪf/
- /səˈɹiːf/
Sounds like seraph (one pronunciation) · Rhymes with -ɛɹɪf, -iːf
Where it comes from
From earlier ceriph, seriph, surryph, of obscure derivation. There are two (not directly interrelated) candidates for a possible Dutch origin: 1.) the noun schreef (“stroke”, now also “serif” as a semantic loan), related with schrapen (“to scrape”); and 2.) the verb schrafferen (“to provide with horizontal lines, to shade”), from Italian sgraffiare. For the latter, compare German Schraffe (“serif”), although this again may be a semantic loan based on the English word rather than original to it. Alternatively, from Late Latin cerificus (“waxen”), from Latin cera (“wax”), after the ruled lines used in writing on wax tablets.
noun serifs
- A short line added to the end of a stroke in traditional typefaces, such as Times New Roman. It is generally believed, by those who study such things, that serif typefaces are easier to read when reading a lot of words. The hickeys (serifs) on each letter tend to push our eye toward the next letter.
adjective
-
Of a typeface, provided with serifs.
It is generally believed, by those who study such things, that serif typefaces are easier to read when reading a lot of words. The hickeys (serifs) on each letter tend to push our eye toward the next letter.
Opposite: sans serif
Translations
Every language
noun short line in a font
| Español | gracia, remate, serifa, patín, terminal |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 세리프 seripeu |
| 日本語 | セリフ serifu |
| 中文 | 襯線 /衬线 chènxiàn |
| Português | serifa |
| Français | empattement, sérif |
| Deutsch | Serife |
| Italiano | grazia |
| Ελληνικά | ακρεμόνας akremónas, πατούρα patoúra |
| Русский | засе́чка zaséčka, подсе́чка podséčka, отсе́чка otséčka, сери́ф seríf |
| العربية | مذيل muḏayaail, سيرف sīrif |
| עברית | תָּג tag |
adj with serifs
| Español | con serifas, con serifa |
|---|
Talk about this word "serif." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/serif. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. serif. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/serif "serif." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/serif.Cite this
@misc{serif_2026,
title = {serif},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/serif},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
