typeface
typeface Lexical Profile
typeface Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A particular design or visual style of lettering, numerals, and symbols used in printing and digital display, comprising a coordinated family of fonts across various weights and sizes.
"The graphic designer selected a clean, modern sans-serif typeface to make the website easier to read on mobile screens."
The raised, ink-bearing surface of a physical block of printing type that leaves its impression on paper.
"The museum curator demonstrated how ink was rolled evenly across the metal typeface before pressing the parchment onto the frame."
Word Nuance & Usage
In typography, "typeface" refers to the overall visual design of a family of characters (such as Helvetica or Times New Roman), whereas "font" strictly refers to a specific size, weight, and style within that family (such as 12-point Helvetica Bold), though the two terms are often used interchangeably in everyday digital contexts.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the late 19th century as a compound of "type" and "face," originally referring to the raised surface of a metal printing block that makes contact with paper before evolving to mean the design of the characters themselves.