Agate (typography)

In typography, "agate" refers to a specific unit of measurement, traditionally used in printing and typesetting. An agate is defined as a type size that measures approximately 5.5 points (or about 1/12 of an inch). It is often used for setting very small type, such as in classified ads or listings in newspapers. The use of agate as a typographic measurement dates back to the days of letterpress printing.