1. dated To arrange the pieces of wood or metal bearing letters or characters in a printing press. There's a small boutique publisher in this city who still prints books by setting type the old-fashioned way.

2. To arrange the way in which characters, letters, or words written in typeface appear in or on some visual medium. The graphic designer is exceptionally good at setting type in dynamic, interesting ways. When you're setting type for your website, you've got to be sure you take into account the different kinds of readers who might be reading your work.