Helvetica or
Neue Haas Grotesk is a widely used
sans-serif typeface developed in 1957 by Swiss
typeface designer Max Miedinger with input from Eduard Hoffmann.
Helvetica is a
neo-grotesque design, one influenced by the famous 19th century typeface
Akzidenz-Grotesk and other German and Swiss designs. Its use became a hallmark of the
International Typographic Style that emerged from the work of Swiss designers in the 1950s and '60s, becoming one of the most popular typefaces of the 20th century. Over the years, a wide range of variants have been released in different weights, widths, and sizes, as well as matching designs for a range of non-Latin alphabets. Notable features of Helvetica as originally designed include a high
x-height, the termination of strokes on horizontal or vertical lines and an unusually tight spacing between letters, which combine to give it a dense, solid appearance.