Definition
Serif
A serif is the small finishing stroke at the end of a letter's stem, and a serif typeface is one that has them. Printed book interiors are overwhelmingly set in serif faces.
The usual argument is that serifs guide the eye along the line, though the stronger practical reason is convention and contrast: readers expect serif body text in print, and centuries of book faces have been refined for long-form reading at small sizes on paper. Screen practice differs, because low-resolution rendering once broke fine serifs — a distinction that matters much less on modern high-density displays.
Related tools & guides
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