Halbtonpunkt

Halbtonpunkt is a historical typographic unit used in German publishing. It denotes half of a typographic point (Punkt) and thus represents a subtle increment in font size, leading, or other layout measurements that lies between whole points.

In the common PostScript point system, 1 point equals 1/72 inch, so a Halbtonpunkt equals 1/144 inch, about 0.176 millimeters. This small step allowed typographers to achieve finer adjustments in line height and spacing without resorting to larger, less precise changes.

Historically, Halbtonpunkt was part of the granular control available in traditional metal type and early digital typesetting. It provided a way to refine appearance and readability when full points were too coarse. The concept reflects the broader aim of typographic micro-adjustment that existed before modern digital tools offered a wider range of scalable measurements.

Today, Halbtonpunkt is rarely used in mainstream publishing. Contemporary typesetting typically employs fractional point values, em-based measurements, or other scalable units, and many software systems no longer rely on the Halbtonpunkt as a distinct unit. The term remains of historical interest, appearing mainly in discussions of older German typography and type-setting practice.