Typeface vs. font

Have you ever found yourself wondering whether you should use the term font or typeface? You don’t have to be a type designer to use this terminology confidently. We have created this short article to help you understand the difference between these two terms and to simplify your future communication in the graphic design field. Both terms typeface and font describe the result of type design work but refer to it from different aspects of typography. Let’s dive into the details of typeface vs. font definition and their roles in type design.

We use typeface while talking about the design of letters and the artistic expression it conveys to the text. It defines the aesthetic style of the alphabet, including shapes of letters, contrast, width, and other parameters of style. We use typeface to name a set of unique design characteristics that make up a family of characters, such as CoFo Holz or CoFo Peshka. Typefaces are the fundamental and aesthetic element in type design.

While a typeface describes the look of the text, a font is a digital file that applies this design to a specific size and weight on digital platforms. To understand the difference between font and typeface, we need to define the term font. It originates from Old French fondre, meaning melt. It came from the process used in early type foundries to produce metal type for printing. Molten metal was poured into molds to create individual letters. By the 17th century, the term found referred to a complete set of letters for a specific typeface and size.

Today, font refers to the specific style of a typeface, including its size and weight, as it is used in a particular context.

The term font primarily relates to the technical aspects of a file rather than its aesthetics or style. It refers to the technology of transforming the typeface into text on a page or screen. Essentially, a font is what you use when you type characters on a computer or printing device.

So what is a font? A font is a digital file that instructs your computer or printer how to display the characters of a typeface. A font file holds more than just the typeface design—it also includes metadata and technical features, such as kerning and hinting, which dictate how characters will appear in different devices.

Font family vs. typeface: While a typeface is a concept that refers to the aesthetics of characters and can be represented by one style, a font family includes all the typeface variations. 

A font family is a group of related fonts that have a consistent character set and vary in weight, width, or other aspects. Various fonts from the same font family provide the design versatility while maintaining the visual consistency. For example, the CoFo Sans font family includes CoFo Sans Light, CoFo Sans Regular, CoFo Sans Bold, and other individual styles. 

Type is a broad concept related to the history and process of designing typefaces. It’s barely used in relation to a specific font design. You can find this term in historical materials referring to typefaces from specific time periods or the physical metal letters used in typesetting.

Here are a few examples where you could use the terms typeface, type, or font:

The term typeface is used when referring to the stylistic parameters of the letters. A typeface can be seen as the overall design of a character collection, often reflecting a particular historical period or function:
• Futura is a geometric sans-serif typeface designed by Paul Renner and released in 1927.
• The first monospaced typefaces were created for typewriters to fit their technical limitations.
• The typeface is optimized for use in headlines. 

The term type can be used while talking about the general concept of designing letters in the united system: 
• The technology of printing text using movable type was invented in China.
• A piece of cast metal type with the s character on it.
• Type designers face a lot of choices on the way of creating the original digital typeface.
• Modern digital type foundries accumulate and distribute typefaces.

The term font is used to refer to a digital file or physical letterforms of a specific style, size, and weight. We also say font when talking about the typeface as software and the technical aspects of using it in programs.
• Variable font is a new font format that can include a variety of styles in one file.
• Font engineers solve technical issues of font representation and work within an operating system.
• Digital fonts can be scaled to any size without losing quality.

Understanding the difference between font vs typeface is essential for effective text communication in the field of typography. A typeface sets the overall artistic tone and style, while a font specifies the practical application of that style in a specific size and format.

This distinction is important for making informed design choices across mediums, such as print, digital media, and branding. By understanding the nuances between fonts and typefaces, designers and editors can be on the same page and avoid misunderstandings.

This becomes easily noticeable in display fonts—a style of typeface specifically designed for use at larger sizes. Display fonts are meant to make an impact, whether used for headlines, posters, or logos. Unlike body text fonts, which prioritize readability, display fonts are often bolder, more expressive, and geared toward capturing attention. If you’re curious to learn more about the nature and logic of display typefaces, check out our article on debunking display typefaces.

Author: Anna Khorash
Editor: Ekaterina Barannikova
Illustration: Egor Golovyrin