A ligature is a single character formed by fusing two or three consecutive letters. Born of handwriting and metal type, it prevents certain letters from colliding and gives text a more fluid appearance.
Where to see it
The most common ligatures join the “f” to the letter that follows it, as in “fi”, “fl”, “ff” or “ffi”. French also has ligatures that have become letters in their own right, such as the “œ” in “cœur” or the “æ” in “et cætera”, and the ampersand “&” itself derives from a ligature of the letters “e” and “t”.
Why this detail matters
Ligatures directly affect the quality and refinement of typesetting:
- They prevent awkward collisions, for example between the terminal of the “f” and the dot of the “i”, and so improve the evenness of the text;
- So-called discretionary ligatures, more decorative, add an expressive touch and are often reserved for headlines or logos;
- Using them well is a sign of typographic care: most professional fonts apply them automatically, but some should be chosen with discernment depending on the context.
Related term
Sidebearing is the white space built into each side of a letter; when two letters touch despite their sidebearings, a ligature offers a design solution.
Anatomy glossary
Ascender, Descender, Sidebearing, Joint, Axis, Bar, Beak, Bowl, Loop, Set width, Counter, Serif, Stem, Leg, Minim, Baseline, Eye, Belly, Foot, Point, Tail, Cross stroke, Terminal; X-height, X-height, Cap height, Body; Mean line, Ear, Spur, Ball terminal, Ligature, Apex, Vertex, Arm, Shoulder, Spine, Em dash, Thick stroke, Hairline, Bracket, Bounding box