Body

Body is a fundamental typographic term referring to the main text content of a document or publication, distinct from headlines, titles, captions, or other supplementary elements. In typography and design, body text represents the primary vessel for conveying detailed information, typically set in a size ranging from 9 to 12 points, depending on the typeface selection and intended reading context. The concept emerged from traditional printing practices, where the main text block required careful consideration of readability, legibility, and visual comfort for extended reading periods. Body text demands particular attention to typographic principles including leading (line spacing), measure (line length), and character spacing to ensure optimal reading conditions. The selection of typefaces for body text traditionally favors serif fonts in print media due to their perceived ability to guide the eye along text lines, though sans-serif fonts have gained prominence in digital applications. Critical considerations for body text include maintaining consistent rhythm through proper word spacing, establishing clear hierarchical relationships with other textual elements, and ensuring appropriate contrast with the background. The effectiveness of body text is often measured through metrics such as reading speed, comprehension, and eye fatigue, which have been subjects of extensive typographic research and development. Contemporary design practices, particularly those recognized in competitions such as the A' Design Award, continue to evolve the treatment of body text across various media, addressing challenges posed by different reading environments and technologies while maintaining fundamental principles of readability and visual harmony.

Author: Lucas Reed

Keywords: typography, readability, text block, typeface, legibility, hierarchy, spacing

Help us improve the Design+Encyclopedia, contribute your alternative definition for Body today!

About the Design+Encyclopedia
The Design+Encyclopedia is a crowd-sourced reference of information on design. Unlike other crowd-sourced publications on design, the Design Encyclopedia is edited and actively monitored and publishing is only possible after review of submitted texts. Furthermore, editors of the Design Encyclopedia are mostly consisting of award winning designers who have proven their expertise in their design respective fields. Information posted at design encyclopedia is copyrighted, you are not granted a right to use the text for any commercial reasons, attribution is required. If you wish to contribute to the design encyclopedia, please first register or login to A' Design Award and then start a new design encyclopedia entry.