font

¹ American  

[font] / fɒnt /

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.

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font ² American  

[font] / fɒnt /

noun

Printing.

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

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font ¹ British  

/ 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

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font ² British  

/ fɒnt /

noun

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

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Other Word Forms

• fontal adjective

Etymology

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

Explanation

A font is the specific style of text that's printed on a page or displayed on a computer screen. It's also the name for the container that holds water used in church baptisms. When designers talk about fonts, they mean the design, size, and boldness of letters and symbols. Many people use font and typeface interchangeably, but it's more accurate to distinguish the terms. Times New Roman is a typeface, but a specific version of it, like Times New Roman bold 12pt, is a font — it specifies exactly how the text will look. The religious font has a different root, which it shares with fountain.

Example Sentences

One snapped a picture of the sale sign, at which point employees pointed out the date in small font.

From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026

At a time when rich Western nations see mass immigration as the font of societal ills, Dubai and other Gulf cities stand as exceptional beacons for foreign talent.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026

At least she’ll always have the knowledge that up until his next marriage, Newsom kept dating women in her exact font.

From Slate • Feb. 25, 2026

The font was also different to the official logo.

From BBC • Jan. 8, 2026

At the baptismal font I watched a baby cry out as the priest trickled a few drops of cold water on his tiny red forehead.

From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez

Related Words

• fount