Grotesque

Grotesque typefaces are sans serif typefaces that originate in the nineteenth century. There is some degree of contrast between thick and thin strokes. The terminals of curves are usually horizontal, and the typeface frequently has a spurred "G" and an "R" with a curled leg. According to Monotype, "grotesque" originates from Italian: garottes, meaning "belonging to the cave" due to their simple geometric appearance. The term arose because of unfavorable comparisons drawn with the more ornate Modern Serif and Roman typefaces that were the norm at the time. Examples of grotesque lineal typefaces include Headline, Monotype 215, and Grot no. 6.[

Neo-grotesque

Neo-grotesque typefaces are derived from the earlier grotesque faces but generally have less stroke contrast and a more traditional design. Unlike the grotesque, they generally do not have a spurred "G", and the terminals of curves are usually slanted. Many neo-grotesque faces have a large degree of subtlety and variation of widths and weights to accommodate different means of production (Hot type, foundry type, phototypesetting, see History of typography, 20th century). Examples of neo-grotesque lineal typefaces include Helvetica and Univers.