Typography
/taɪˈpɒɡrəfi/noun
The art and technique of arranging type to make written language legible, readable, and visually appealing.
Did you know?Typography comes from Greek typos, meaning a blow, impression, or stamp, so the word began with the idea of a forceful mark being struck into matter.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
typos
“a blow, strike, impression, or stamped mark”
Late Greek
Greek
typos + -graphia
“writing or description connected with impressed forms”
16th Century
Latin/English
typographia
“the art or practice of printing from type”
17th–18th Century
English
typography
“printing with movable type; later, the arrangement and design of type”
Modern English
English
typography
“the style, arrangement, and appearance of printed or digital text”