sans serif

American  

[sanz] / sænz /

noun

Printing.

1. a style of monotonal type without serifs.

---

sans serif British  

/ sænˈsɛrɪf /

noun

1. a style of printer's typeface in which the characters have no serifs

---

Other Word Forms

• sans-serif adjective

Etymology

Origin of sans serif

First recorded in 1820–30

Example Sentences

Its name is a pun on the sans serif group of typefaces, and the island was depicted as being shaped like a semi-colon.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2025

Homes around it got fresh paint, sans serif house numbers and were flipped for $1 million and more.

From Washington Post • Feb. 2, 2023

Several experts said the research now leans strongly toward the conclusion that sans serif fonts are more readable, but there is a decades-long history of disagreement.

From New York Times • Jan. 19, 2023

Large sans serif fonts modernize the front of a home, while smaller serif numbers suit more traditional homes because they’re not as dramatic, Ducsik says.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 13, 2022

Special Transcriber's Notes: Text surrounded by ~ originally printed in a sans serif typeface.

From George Cruikshank by Chesson, W. H.