Named after french type founder Didot
The Didot System was named after its inventor, the french type founder Firmin Didot (1761 - 1836). It was invented at the end of the 18th century.
In the Didot System, the smallest unit corresponds to the French Foot. This system was set up as a 12-point-system.
There were individual names for the different type sizes, some of them are still used today.
For example, the 12 point type size is called CICERO.
More names in the Didot System:
| <strong>Didot </strong> | <strong>Traditional </strong> | <strong>Measure, rounded </strong> | <strong>Measure </strong> |
| <strong>point</strong> | <strong>name</strong> | <strong>to 3 decimals</strong> | <strong>(1p = 0.375mm)</strong> |
| 1 point | Eighth petit | 0.376 mm | 0.375 mm |
| 2 points | Quarter petit, Non plus ultra | 0.752 mm | 0.75 mm |
| 3 points | Quarter cicero, Brilliant | 1.128 mm | 1.13 mm |
| 4 points | Half petit, Diamond | 1.504 mm | 1.50 mm |
| 5 points | Perl | 1.880 mm | 1.88 mm |
| 6 points | Nonpareille | 2.256 mm | 2.25 mm |
| 7 points | Kolonel. Mignon | 2.632 mm | 2.63 mm |
| 8 points | Petit | 3.009 mm | 3.00 mm |
| 9 points | Borgis | 3.385 mm | 3.38 mm |
| 10 points | Corpus. Garamond | 3.761 mm | 3.75 mm |
| 12 points | Cicero | 4.513 mm | 4.50 mm |
| 14 points | Medium | 5.265 mm | 5.25 mm |
| 16 points | Tertia | 6.017 mm | 6.00 mm |
| 18 points | 1.5 Cicero | 6.769 mm | 6.75 mm |
| 20 points | Text | 7.521 mm | 7.50 mm |
| 24 points | Double cicero | 9.026 mm | 9.00 mm |
| 28 points | Double medium | 10.530 mm | 10.50 mm |
| 36 points | 3 Cicero | 13.539 mm | 13.50 mm |
| 48 points | Concordance | 18.052 mm | 21 mm |