font

¹

[font]

noun

1. a receptacle, usually of stone, as in a baptistery or church, containing the water used in baptism.

2. a receptacle for holy water; stoup.

3. a productive source.

   The book is a font of useful tips for travelers.

4. the reservoir for oil in a lamp.

5. Archaic.,  a fountain.

font

²

[font]

noun

Printing.

1. a complete assortment of type of one style and size.

font

¹

/ fɒnt /

noun

1. 1. a large bowl for baptismal water, usually mounted on a pedestal

   2. a receptacle for holy water

2. the reservoir for oil in an oil lamp

3. archaic,  a fountain or well

font

²

/ fɒnt /

noun

1. Also called: fount. printing a complete set of type of one style and size

Other Word Forms

• fontal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of font¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English font, fant, from Latin font-, stem of fōns “baptismal font, spring, fountain”

Origin of font²

First recorded in 1570–80; from Middle French fonte, from Vulgar Latin funditus (unrecorded) “a pouring, molding, casting,” verbal noun from Latin fundere “to pour”; found ³

Word History and Origins

Origin of font¹

Old English, from Church Latin fons , from Latin: fountain

Origin of font²

C16: from Old French fonte a founding, casting, from Vulgar Latin funditus (unattested) a casting, from Latin fundere to melt; see _found ³

Example Sentences

For the first time, she plans to wear jeans onstage; her merch, she points out, uses the basic Times New Roman font.

From Los Angeles Times

Using the same font as the film poster, it read “Chipocalypse Now.”

From Salon

The chain’s classic gold and brown logo now features the chain’s name in a more minimalistic font.

From Los Angeles Times

It’s also been reported that Bondi promptly fired him, issuing a Trumpian statement in boldface, italics, all caps, different font sizes and various colors:

From Salon

The film is teeming with viral headlines — serious, frivolous or false — jumbled together on computer screens screaming for attention in the same all-caps font.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• fount