Weight in typography means the heaviness of the typeface. It is an important distinction that determines the visual memory of a typeface. The thickness or thinness of a typeface is called typeface weight. The weight of a typeface may range from light and delicate to heavy and substantial.
Stroke width is the weightiest of factors. A heavier font means a high stroke width; a lighter font indicates a very low stroke width. Most apparent are two parts in the stroke width- the variations in the vertical and horizontal parts of the letters.
The right weight of a typeface may create the right mood and meaning. The light quality is often seen as delicate, civilized, and elegant. It is suitable as a headline or in body text that requires a light touch. On the other hand, a greater weight implies power, swiftness, and firmness–all esteemed properties when making an emphatic statement.
However, some typefaces offer weight options, giving writers and designers greater flexibility. Designers purposefully select the proper weight according to what they want the design to look like and the stylistic prospect of the design. The weight of a typeface is another crucial factor since it can affect both the color and readability of the text.
Knowing what weight refers to in terms of typography means that a designer or typographer can look at typefaces and identify the qualities that suit them best for achieving the intended effect. With this information in hand, they would then be able to create visually balanced compositions.