font

font¹

/font/, n.

1. a receptacle, usually of stone, as in a baptistery or church, containing the water used in baptism.

2. a receptacle for holy water; stoup.

3. a productive source: The book is a font of useful tips for travelers.

4. the reservoir for oil in a lamp.

5. Archaic. a fountain.

[bef. 1000; ME; OE font, fant < L font- (s. of fons) baptismal font, spring, fountain]

font²

/font/, n. Print.

a complete assortment of type of one style and size.

Also, Brit., fount.

[1570-80; < MF fonte < VL *funditus a pouring, molding, casting, verbal n. from L fundere to pour. See FOUND³]

* * *

or typeface or type family

Assortment or set of type (alphanumeric characters used for printing), all of one coherent style.

Before the advent of computers, fonts were expressed in cast metal that was used as a template for printing. Fonts are now stored as digitized images that can be scaled and otherwise modified for printing on electronic printers or digital phototypesetters. Fonts typically include the normal typeface (roman) as well as italic, bold, bold italic, and sometimes extra-bold versions. See also typesetting, typography.

* * *