typographer

American  

[tahy-pog-ruh-fer] / taɪˈpɒg rə fər /

noun

1. a person skilled or engaged in typography.

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typographer British  

/ taɪˈpɒɡrəfə /

noun

1. a person skilled in typography

2. another name for compositor

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Etymology

Origin of typographer

First recorded in 1635–45; typograph(y) + -er ¹

Explanation

A typographer is someone who designs printed words. If you admire a beautifully designed font, you can thank a typographer. Famous typefaces, like Helvetica, Futura, or Times New Roman, were all designed by typographers. When you think of how many printed words we all read on a regular basis, both on paper and on screens, you'll start to realize what an important job typographers do. They arrange type in a way that aids communication and conveys a mood along with the words. Typographer adds the Greek typos, "dent or impression," to grapheia, "writing."

Example Sentences

Typographer Craig Ward suggests that animation and augmented-reality technology could be next in movie-poster design.

From Washington Post • Feb. 5, 2020

This produced some of his masterpieces, such as the enormous The City, 1919, or the yet more abstract The Typographer, 1918.

From Time Magazine Archive

Lest the Treasury Department consider Typographer Dwiggins merely a destructive critic he went further still.

From Time Magazine Archive

At other times Typographer Goudy has been far more specific.

From Time Magazine Archive

He lived on a farm near Detroit when he put together his writing-machine, which he called "The Typographer."

From Time Magazine Archive