Word
font
US/ˈfɑnt/
UK/fˈɒnt/
Definitions
01text style
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun Computing
n. a set of letters and numbers that all have the same design and style.
n. a complete set of characters in a specific typeface, style, and weight used in printing or digital display.
“You should use a clear font like Arial for your job application.”
“The graphic designer experimented with various serif fonts to find one that conveyed the appropriate level of authority for the law firm's branding.”
Usage
In modern digital contexts, 'font' and 'typeface' are often used interchangeably by laypeople.
02church basin
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Religion Formal
n. a large stone bowl in a church that holds water for baptisms.
n. a stone or metal receptacle in a church used to hold holy water, specifically for the rite of baptism.
“The priest stood by the stone font during the baby's baptism.”
“The medieval church features an ornate baptismal font carved from a single block of local limestone.”
03a source
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Literary
n. a source of something, like knowledge or information.
n. a source or wellspring of a particular quality or type of information.
Español:fuente
“My grandfather was a font of wisdom about local history.”
“The professor proved to be a font of obscure data, providing the researchers with leads they had previously overlooked.”
Teaching tip
In this metaphorical sense, 'fount' is a common alternative spelling in British English.
Synonyms
04to add text to video
C2 · Proficiency Computing Technical · Informal
v. to put text or titles over a video or television picture.
v. to overlay text, such as titles or captions, onto a video signal or television broadcast.
“The editor needed to font the names of the speakers at the bottom of the screen.”
“The production assistant was responsible for fonting the live broadcast with real-time social media updates from the audience.”
Etymology
From Old English font, an early borrowing from Latin fōns, fontis (“fountain”).
From Middle French fonte (“act or process of founding or melting; act of producing items from molten metal; cast iron; set of type”) (modern French fonte), either: from fondre (“to melt, melt down; to smelt”), from Old French fondre, from Latin fundere, the present active infinitive of fundō (“to pour out; to make by smelting, found”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰewd- (“to pour”); or from Late Latin fundita, a noun use of funditus, a perfect passive participle form of Latin fundō (see above; the classical Latin form is fūsus).
Apparently from fount, with influence from the senses above (under etymology 1).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/font
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0