What feature distinguishes italic letters from traditional serif fonts?

The defining characteristic that sets italic letters apart from traditional serif fonts is the presence of curvy branches. Italic typefaces are designed to slant to the right, giving them a fluid, cursive appearance. This slant facilitates a more dynamic and expressive look. The curves in the design can be found in letterforms such as the lowercase "a," "e," and "g," which usually have more rounded and flowing shapes compared to their serif counterparts.

In contrast, traditional serif fonts exhibit more angular features, with emphasis on straight lines and sharper edges. This contributes to a more formal and structured aesthetic. The combination of these curvy branches in italic type greatly enhances its distinction and is fundamental to its overall visual identity, making it recognizable as italic as opposed to a standard serif font.