cold type

noun

: composition or typesetting (such as photocomposition) done without the casting of metal
specifically : such composition produced directly on paper by a typewriter mechanism

Examples of cold type in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The skills required to turn hot lead into letters on a Linotype machine or to position a strip of cold type on a grid board were easily transferrable. John Kelly, Washington Post, 18 Oct. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cold type.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1949, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cold type was in 1949

Dictionary Entries Near cold type

Cite this Entry

“Cold type.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cold%20type. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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