Small decorative strokes extending from the main strokes of letters in certain typefaces.
From Dutch 'schreef' meaning 'line, stroke'. The term entered English typography vocabulary in the early 19th century as printing technology advanced and type design became more sophisticated.
Serif fonts are considered more readable in print because the small strokes help guide the eye along lines of text, while sans-serif fonts dominate digital screens. This distinction has shaped how we design everything from newspapers to websites, making typography a bridge between aesthetics and function.
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