Ligatures are special characters that combine two or more letters into a single symbol. They are often used in typography to improve the visual appearance of text and enhance readability. Common examples include the combinations of letters like fi, fl, and ae. Ligatures can be found in various fonts and are especially prevalent in calligraphy and decorative typefaces. In digital typesetting, ligatures can be automatically generated by software when specific letter combinations are detected. This feature helps create a more polished look in printed materials, such as books and magazines. Understanding ligatures is important for graphic designers and typographers who aim to create visually appealing text layouts.