What does 'kerning' refer to in typography?

Kerning specifically refers to the spacing between letters in a word. It involves adjusting the space between individual characters to improve the overall appearance and readability of text. Good kerning helps create a visually appealing flow of letters and ensures that they are neither too close together nor too far apart, which can affect how easily text is read. By focusing on the relationship between pairs of letters, designers can enhance the aesthetics of typography and ensure effective communication through written text.

In contrast, spacing between words is typically called "tracking" or "word spacing," while font style and size are related to the overall presentation but do not pertain to kerning.