12point

12point, often written as 12-point or 12 pt, refers to a typographic unit used to specify font size. In the common PostScript point system, one point equals 1/72 of an inch, so 12 points measure 1/6 inch (approximately 4.233 millimeters). The size is widely used in print and desktop publishing to define body text, captions, and headings, though actual appearance varies by typeface and rendering context.

In practice, 12-point type is a traditional standard for body text in many books, articles, and academic manuscripts. Fonts of the same nominal size can appear noticeably different: a 12pt serif such as Times New Roman often looks different from a 12pt sans-serif such as Arial. Readability depends on font design, line length, and leading.

On digital displays with a baseline of 96 dots per inch, 12pt corresponds to about 16 pixels; higher-DPI screens scale content, which can change perceived size. Modern web design typically uses relative units (rem, em) or pixels for screen text, with point units used mainly for print or when matching printed material.

Originating in traditional typography, the point system was standardized in the age of metal type and carried into modern digital typesetting; 12pt remains a common default size in word processors and many publishing guidelines.

See also: point (typography), CSS, typography, font size.