bodentypt

Bodentypt is a term encountered in typography and design discourse to refer to the typography used for the main body copy in a document, page, or interface. It is not a standardized term in major typography guides, and its usage varies among designers.

Etymology: The word is a portmanteau of body and type (or text), signaling its role as the primary text treatment as opposed to display or headline typography.

Definition and scope: In practice, bodentypt encompasses the font family or families chosen for body text, as well as the typographic settings that govern readability, including font size, line height (leading), measure (line length), letter spacing, and color. It is often described in relation to display typography used for headings and UI labels.

Typical characteristics: Many projects opt for a serif or sans-serif body type depending on context; common body text sizes range from 12 to 18 points depending on media, with a line height of about 1.4 to 1.6 and a line length around 45 to 75 characters per line. Accessibility considerations, such as sufficient contrast and legible letterforms, are commonly associated with bodentypt decisions.

Usage in design practice: In CSS for web design, a bodentypt setup might specify font-family, font-size, line-height, and color on the body element, while headings have separate styles. In print, bodentypt decisions influence column width and margins to sustain readability across pages.

Origins and reception: The term appears mainly in informal discussions, design blogs, and educational materials rather than formal standards. Some designers use it as shorthand for the core typographic treatment of body text within a system.

See also: Body text, Typography, Readability, Web typography, CSS.