# serif vs serve

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### serif
*noun · IPA /ˈsɛɹɪf/ · frequency rank #45,077*
A short line added to the end of a stroke in traditional typefaces, such as Times New Roman.

### serve
*noun · IPA /sɜːv/ · frequency rank #1,502*
An act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play in various games.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/serif-vs-serve