boldface
UK[ˈbəʊldfeɪs]US[ˈboʊldfeɪs]
n
a type of thick, heavy print used in printing or on a computer screen to make words or letters stand out.
v
to print or display text in thick, heavy type to give it emphasis.
Morpheme Breakdown
bold
face
bold
face
Etymology
the word 'boldface' is a compound formed in the english language from two distinct elements. the first part, 'bold', originates from old english, carrying the sense of standing out prominently, which was metaphorically applied to describe thick, heavy printing type. the second part, 'face', entered english from latin via french, evolving from a general term for appearance to the specific typographical term for the surface of a piece of type bearing the letter. the compound thus logically describes a type 'face' that is 'bold' or prominent in appearance, a term that transitioned seamlessly from physical printing to digital typography.
Analysis
Structure: bold + face
- bold: from old english 'beald' (courageous, daring), of germanic origin. in typography, it denotes a heavy, prominent style.
- face: from latin 'facies' (form, appearance), via old french. in typography, it refers to the style or design of a set of type characters.
Examples
the headings in the document were set in boldface for emphasis.
you should boldface the key terms in your presentation slides.
the designer specified that the company logo must appear in boldface.