serif
UK[ˈser.ɪf]US[ˈser.ɪf]
n
A short line or stroke attached to the end of a larger stroke in a letter or symbol within a particular typeface.
Etymology
The term 'serif' entered English typography in the early 19th century, likely borrowed from the Dutch word 'schreef', meaning a stroke or line made by a pen. This Dutch term traces back to the Latin verb 'scribere', meaning "to write", which is the ultimate source for many writing-related words in European languages. The specific application to the small finishing strokes in type design reflects a precise technical evolution from the general concept of a pen stroke. The uncertain etymology and the word's adoption as a whole unit classify it as an unsegmentable simplex in modern English.
Analysis
The word 'serif' is a simplex loanword. Its specific origin is uncertain, but it is likely from the Dutch noun 'schreef', meaning "line, stroke (of a pen)", which itself comes from the verb 'schrijven', "to write", from Latin 'scribere'.
Examples
Traditional books are often printed in a typeface with serifs, such as Times New Roman.
Sans-serif fonts, which lack these small projecting features, are considered more modern and clean.
The designer carefully adjusted the serifs on the capital letters to give the font a unique character.