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old style font

old style font

6.9
A traditional set of printed letters with small slanted ends and mostly even line thickness
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : tipografía antigua
  • Many books use an old style font for their main text because it's easy to read.

Examples

  • He preferred to print wedding invitations using an old style font for added elegance.

  • Designers often choose an old style font for a classic or traditional look.

  • The invitation used an old style font.

  • I prefer using old style fonts for my projects.

  • Designers often choose an old style font for a classic or traditional look.

  • He preferred to print wedding invitations using an old style font for added elegance.

  • Many books use an old style font for their main text because it's easy to read.

Synonyms

old style
vsold style font
  • Specialized
1 8.6

A traditional-looking font like books from long ago with small difference between thick and thin lines

is the same typeface style but listed as the main entry
old-fashioned look
vsold style font
4.7

A style that looks like it is from earlier times

is a specific historical typeface style rather than a general past appearance

Antonyms

modern font
  • Specialized
4.7

Letters that have small thin lines at the ends and strong vertical strokes, looking elegant

How Traditional

old style font
  • Specialized
6.9
transitional
  • Specialized
1 6.2
modern
  • Specialized
1 7.0

Surface Forms

Morphology

old + style + font

The meaning 'a typeface in an old style' is directly derivable from the constituents: 'old' (not new), 'style' (manner/appearance), and 'font' (type design). This straightforward noun-noun composition follows common morphological and syntactic patterns (cross-linguistically attested), so a B1 learner who knows the parts will readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

The noun old style font comes from early printers who copied the look of old handwriting into a style of font, so the letters have small slanted ends and only small differences between thick and thin parts. That's why old style fonts are used to give a 'classic' or 'traditional' look and to make long text easy to read.