Section 6 · Typography

Font

Definition

One specific style and weight within a typeface — such as Helvetica Bold Italic — historically a single physical set of metal type at one size.

Why it matters

Knowing the difference keeps your language precise when specifying type, and explains why “Helvetica” is a choice while “Helvetica Bold 12pt” is an instruction.

Example

A typeface family might ship many fonts: Regular, Italic, Bold, Bold Italic, Light, and Black — each a separate font file.

Not to be confused with

A typeface — the font is one member of the family; the typeface is the family itself. See Typeface.