Font Meaning
/fɒnt/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA receptacle in a church for holy water, especially one used in baptism.
nounA receptacle for lamp oil in a lamp.
Sentence Examples
In the font business you must never trust anybody!
What's your favorite font?
CEFR Practice Quiz
The designer chose a large, elegant ____ for the wedding invitation, making it look very special.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The designer chose a sleek and modern ____ for the company's new website and marketing materials.
Word Origin & History
From Old English font, an early borrowing from Latin fōns, fontis (“fountain”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Blessed be God, that, at the font, / My sponsors bound me to the call / Of Christ in England to confront / The world, the flesh, the fiend and all."
— 1791, Christopher Smart, “Moderation”, in Hymns for the Amusement of Children:
"In the Apostolic Age, as in Jewish times (John, iii, 23), baptism was administered without special fonts, at the seaside or in streams or pools of water (Acts, viii, 38); […]"
— 1913, John Bertram Peterson, “Baptismal Font”, in Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 2:
"When figures or quotes are thought helpful to understanding a spot, they're "fonted" over the cover picture."
— 1981, William Safire, On language, page 78:
"[…] character generator instead of an easel card to create letters on camera or telephone numbers that can run across the TV screen. The process is called fonting."
— 1987, The Foundation Center, Promoting issues & ideas: a guide to public relations for nonprofit organizations, page 97:
"As I am not drawing here on the font of imagination to refresh that of fact and experience, I do not suggest that the Tarot set the example of expressing Secret Doctrine in pictures and that it was followed by Hermetic writers; but it is noticeable that it is perhaps the earliest example of this art."
— 1910, Arthur Edward Waite, The Pictorial Key to the Tarot, part II:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The designer chose a large, elegant ____ for the wedding invitation, making it look very special.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The designer chose a sleek and modern ____ for the company's new website and marketing materials.