sans serif

/ˌsæn(z)ˈsɛɹɪf/

//ˌsæn(z)ˈsɛɹɪf// noun

"sans-serif" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“sans serif” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
10
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A typeface in which the characters do not have serifs.

Corpus desk

Index EN-sans-serif · sans serif · English

sans serif · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "S" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for sans serif
PropertyValue
Headwordsans serif
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌsæn(z)ˈsɛɹɪf/
Letters10
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “sans serif” in English

sans serifsits beyond the 100,000 most-frequent English words, in the long tail of technical, archaic, or otherwise rare vocabulary where spelling doubt tends to strike hardest.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

sans serif is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˌsæn(z)ˈsɛɹɪf/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "A typeface in which the characters do not have serifs.".

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for sans serif, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From sans + serif. The correct English form is sans serif, spelled S-A-N-S- -S-E-R-I-F.

Definition

  1. 1
    A typeface in which the characters do not have serifs.

Etymology

From sans + serif.

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "sans serif"?
"sans serif" is spelled S-A-N-S- -S-E-R-I-F. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌsæn(z)ˈsɛɹɪf/.
What does "sans serif" mean?
As a noun, "sans serif" means: A typeface in which the characters do not have serifs.
How do you pronounce "sans serif"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "sans serif" is /ˌsæn(z)ˈsɛɹɪf/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "sans serif"?
From sans + serif. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list