# Font Kern

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/font-kern/312699>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 15, 2005, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/font-kern/312699 "2005-07-15T19:32:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/font-kern/312699/1 "2005-07-15T19:32:44Z")

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Kerning is the space adjustment for different size letters. ‘I’ takes up less room than ‘W’

Is there a font in Windows that is not kerned? I’m having a devil of a time getting a dynamic list to line up. I have to insert spaces based on the length of the words, and kerning is throwing it all off.

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**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/font-kern/312699/2 "2005-07-15T19:34:01Z")

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> [@enipla](#):
>
> Is there a font in Windows that is not kerned?

Sure – Courier New and Lucida Console, off the top of my head.

There are many more – Google “monospace fonts” to learn of more.

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**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/font-kern/312699/3 "2005-07-15T19:55:36Z")

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Many Thanks 😃

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**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/font-kern/312699/4 "2005-07-15T19:57:40Z")

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Note that “kerning” is not the correct term here. Kerning refers to varying the space _between_ letters, esp. “negative space” between letters. For example, in “We”, the “W” can be pushed over closer to the “e” so that the upper right tip of the “W” actually overhangs the "e’ a little.

You’re talking about variable width/pitched fonts vs. fixed width fonts. Linky:

[http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/K/kerning.html](http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/K/kerning.html)