Where does “slab serif” come from?

slab serif (English) comes from English serif, from English Sheriff, from Middle English shirreve, from Old English scīrġerēfa, from Old English sċīr, from Old English burna, from Proto-West Germanic brunnō, from Proto-Germanic brunnô — to bear, carry.

slab serif (English): A kind of serif typeface characterized by thick, block-like serifs

Definitions

  1. A kind of serif typeface characterized by thick, block-like serifs

Ancestry of “slab serif”, step by step

slab serif traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English serif

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishserifA short line added to the end of a stroke in...
2EnglishSheriff(High Sheriff) An official of a shire or county office, responsible for carrying out court orders, law enforcement and other duties
3Middle EnglishshirreveA sheriff; an individual responsible for a number...
4Old Englishscīrġerēfashire-reeve; sheriff
5Old Englishsċīrbright; shire; county
6Old Englishburnastream
7Proto-West Germanicbrunnōwell, spring
8Proto-Germanicbrunnôsource; wellspring; fountain; brook; stream;...
9Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰréh₁wr̥well, spring, source
10Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰrewh₁-to boil; to brew
11Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰer-to bear, carry

via English slab

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishslabA large, flat piece of solid material; a solid...
2EnglishsyllableA unit of human speech that is interpreted by the...
3Middle Englishsyllable
4Anglo-Normansillablesyllable
5Old Frenchsillebe
6Latinsyllabasyllable; poems, verses
7Ancient Greekσυλλαβήconception, pregnancy; that which holds together,...
8Ancient GreekσυλλαμβάνωI collect, gather; I rally; I take hold of,...
9Ancient Greekσῠν-together; with, together
10Ancient Greekσύνbeside, with
11Proto-Hellenic*ksúnbeside, with
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰer-Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰrewh₁-Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰréh₁wr̥