In recent years, the terminology around typography has evolved and acquired a position in our everyday language. Typeface and font are often used interchangeably in everyday speech, but how did we reach this position?
Have you ever been confused as to whether a font and a typeface are the same things? Is font just a word used by historians and academics to refer to a certain style of writing? Possibly, one relates to digital media, while the other refers to analog media. To address the question directly, they do have distinct meanings, but since the word “font” is so commonly used and misunderstood, it doesn’t mean anything anymore (if you’re a type designer, in which case it does matter). If you’re interested in the difference and don’t mind learning a bit about the history, keep reading; it’s very easy!
If you have a connection to a font foundry, then some you might already know. But for some novice designers getting across this word and using them interchangeably may lead to further confusion on the road.
When it comes to typography, the words Font and Typeface are often used interchangeably and almost like synonyms. This misunderstanding demonstrates how quickly industrial language evolves as a result of the emergence of new procedures and technological developments. However, when it comes to most situations, these two terms are equivalent, and this does not create an issue. However, when you look at the two words from a technical standpoint, you’ll see that they have different meanings. Nonetheless, one needs to question whether the difference is still relevant in today’s society.
Font Versus Typeface: What’s the Difference?
The primary distinction between these two words is that a typeface (or type family) is the name of a particular group of related modern fonts, while a font is the name of a single font. When referring to a typeface, font refers to a certain weight, breadth, and style included within that typeface. To put it another way, each variant of a typeface is referred to as a font. It is possible that, for example, Helvetica might be the typeface selected for a project. However, the actual font in use would be Helvetica Regular 9 points.
So, Does It Make A Difference in The End?
As a result of all that has been said thus far, it is simple to conclude that the term ‘font’ is growing increasingly prevalent over time. For the most part, people nowadays use the words “font” and “type” nearly interchangeably, and they are both perfectly acceptable use. Truth be told, at this point, the difference between these two words is ambiguous, excessive, and even a little dated in its application. Consequently, one might argue that understanding the distinction isn’t important in the vast majority of situations.
However, it’s crucial to note that, in some circumstances, it may be essential. The ability to distinguish between the two may be very useful in the field of type design and other fields like product design, product engineering, and web design. It may assist you in being more precise when discussing a change in a specific typeface without impacting the whole surroundings and display. It all comes down to streamlining the process and properly applying fonts and typefaces to the final product.