serif
serif Lexical Profile
serif Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A slight projection or decorative cross-stroke finishing off the main stroke of a letter in certain typefaces, such as Times New Roman or Garamond.
"The graphic designer chose a classic typeface with delicate serifs for the book's body text."
A typeface or font family whose characters have decorative terminal strokes.
"Many print publishers prefer using a serif for long paragraphs because it guides the reader's eye across the page."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse 'serif' (a typographic stroke) with 'seraph' (a celestial angel) or 'sharif' (an Arabic title of nobility).
• Rhymes for serif
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the early 19th century, probably borrowed from Dutch 'schreef' (meaning a line or stroke), related to the verb 'schrijven' (to write), which ultimately derives from Latin 'scribere'.