Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “serif” come from?

Serif comes from English ceriph, of unknown ultimate origin and meaning.

serif (English): A short line added to the end of a stroke in...

Definitions

  1. A short line added to the end of a stroke in...

Ancestry of “serif”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishSheriff—
2Middle EnglishshirreveA sheriff; an individual responsible for a number...
3Old Englishscīrġerēfashire-reeve; sheriff
4Old Englishsċīrbright; shire; county
5Old Englishburnastream
6Proto-West Germanicbrunnōwell, spring
7Proto-Germanicbrunnôsource; wellspring; fountain; brook; stream;...
8Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰréh₁wr̥well, spring, source
9Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰrewh₁-to boil; to brew
10Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰer-to bear, carry

Words derived from “serif”

  • serifed
  • serifless
  • serifa
  • セリフ
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰer- →