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Glite Dictionary
typefounding

typefounding

9.8
Making metal letters used in old printing presses
  • noun
  • /ˈtaɪpˌfaʊndɪŋ/
  • Archaic
translation icon : tipografía
  • The workshop specializes in the art of typefounding, creating high-quality metal type for collectors and print enthusiasts.

Examples

  • There is considerable interest in preserving the history of printing and typefounding.

    Academic text (2005)

  • The most famous pioneering effort to apply modern methods to typefounding was made by Linn Boyd Benton, a now much-respected name in typemaking.

    Academic text (2005)

  • The Bible of the typefounding industry, after 300 years, is still Mechanik Exercises on the Whole Art of Printing by Joseph Moxon.

    Academic text (2005)

  • Many graphic designers appreciate the craftsmanship involved in typefounding traditional letterforms.

  • During the 19th century, typefounding became a crucial industry for producing printed materials efficiently.

Synonyms

typecasting
vstypefounding
  • Archaic
9.8

Making individual metal letters for use in old letterpress printing

refers to the broader trade of making metal letters for printing presses

Surface Forms

typefounding singular
typefoundings plural

Morphology

typefounding = type + founding (semi-transparent) = type + found + ing

The compound structure 'type' + 'founding' is clear, but 'founding' more commonly means 'establishing' and the metal-casting sense is specialized, so learners may be misled.

Etymology

Typefounding combines type ('model' or 'letter') and founding, which comes from a word for 'to pour' melted metal, as in a foundry where people cast letters. So typefounding is the craft of making metal letters for printing presses.