English

lightface

From light + face.

A compound of light + face

Proto-Indo-European *lewk- ‘to shine’

…

Proto-Germanic *leuhtą

Proto-West Germanic *leuht ‘light’

Old English lēoht

Middle English light ‘light, illumination’

English light

Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁k-

…

Latin faciēs ‘form’

Late Latin facia

Old French face

Middle English face

English face

Today it means

noun The opposite of boldface, a font that is light (has a low ratio of ink to white space).

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / lightface