Two or more specific typographic letters joined into one special character make ligatures. Originally used in Old English, ligatures are mostly in serif font styles, script fonts, and calligraphy typefaces. Their key function is to enhance your text’s flow and rhythm.
Ligatures in any particular font are also one of the most decisive elements in the design world, mostly graphic design. They are very purposeful, specifically in text with long forms, as they help with kerning.
Other ligatures are bound to create a more attractive typography thanks to their decorative purposes.
Stay tuned to learn more about ligatures, their use in creative designs, and some top-list recommendations for serif fonts with appealing ligatures.
As we all know, a serif font has small decorative strokes or flourishes attached to the ends of letter strokes in particular typefaces. What about ligatures, then?
Originated from the Latin, ligatures come from the word ligare which means “to tie.” Accordingly, a ligature in fonts is usually a special character that ties or combines two (or sometimes three) characters into a single character.
In typography, a diphthong ligature represents particular sounds or words, such as the common AE or æ. A standard ligature solves the problem of colliding characters when placed next to each other (kerning). Some ligatures also serve decorative purposes (discretionary).
In the domain of creative design, ligatures are commonly applied in typography to improve the overall appearance and readability of any text. It especially works well in typefaces that have numerous intricate, decorative letterforms.
As mentioned earlier, initially used in Old English, you can find ligatures mostly in serif font styles, script typefaces, and calligraphy fonts. Their primary role is to improve your text’s flow and rhythm.
In addition to improving text legibility, ligatures can help make headings more beautiful, such as in e-books.
Furthermore, ligatures allow new languages to be employed and applicable to any language. You can use ligatures as special characters in specific text, for example, transcribing English words.
The top 10 attention-stealing ligature serif font collections are perfect for brand identity purposes and other creative works, including graphic designs, fashion brands, editorial designs, the wedding industry, lifestyle photography, and more.
Need a beautiful typography for your next luxury or fashion brand projects? Consider using Levaus. You will instantly fall in love with this modern ligature serif typeface. Each thin glyph and calligraphic ligatures work well to create elegant lettering.
If you are looking for something lovely and impactful, Minthe is one of the best options out there. It is a serif font with classy and modern ligature in bold style. You can also employ this typeface for distinctive vintage-themed creative purposes.
Remains Stepping is a gorgeous and unique display serif font with modern thin ligatures. You may find this font in categories such as stylish, calligraphy, retro, wedding, fashionable, casual, beauty, branding, social media, luxury, magazine, and more.
Both modern and nostalgic in style, UNIDA is a classy serif font with unique ligatures. This typeface is available in bold, lowercase, and uppercase, as well as numbers, punctuations, and multilingual supports. Already matched up, they are perfect for any creative design applications.
Inspired by a retro font style, Malken is a new, attractive serif font with ligatures. Each part has an irregular shape, with rigid and flexible lines perfectly connected in thin and thick parts.
Blended exceptionally, they offer instant artistic appeal and a nostalgic touch. Malken evokes a timeless style and sophistication without compromising on readability.
You will undoubtedly love this typeface, even at first glance. Manchy is a beautiful, modern ligature serif font with thin, soft glyphs and several seamlessly linked letters. It is minimalist but offers elegance and high-level legibility at the same time.
Let’s go beyond unique with something eccentric with Effort – an elegant serif font with unconventional ligatures. A combo of thin and thick parts radiates the anti-mainstream yet stunning charm. Moreover, its trademark is that every glyph has its sharp edge.
Designed in a modern and classy style, this font is highly suitable for product designs and branding purposes that require high-level creativity.
Want to deliver clear and impactful messages with long-lasting impressions? Kalins combines elegance and high-level legibility without compromising on attractiveness. It is a classic serif font designed not only with intricate ligatures but also swashes.
The ligatures link particular letter pairs seamlessly and beautifully, allowing a smooth and sophisticated visual appeal. Meanwhile, the swashes are aesthetic embellishments, extending from specific letters, creating an ultimate stylishness and aptitude to any text.
Gllifan is another unique and lovely serif typeface with ligatures and alternates. It offers a modern and elegantly nostalgic style that works well for creative design ideas.
What is more? Gliffan is also highly readable, allowing your audiences to get your messages easily.
Larissa is a stylish ligature typeface, perfect for any creative design purpose, both in modern and classic styles. This font is beautiful and highly readable all at once, allowing for a more impactful and lasting impression.
Apart from standard glyphs and ligatures, the above recommendations are available with web font and international accent in OTF and TTF file formats.
Once again, ligatures are glyphs that combine the shapes of specific character sequences into a brand-new form to create a more harmonious, smooth reading experience.
Therefore, please remember that most serif fonts with discretionary ligatures require vigilant attention. For example, using ligatures for each letter pairing is not recommendable. Excessive ligatures will make your design and typography awful. Doing it right and using it with care will instantly lock your audience’s attention.
