Definition:
Also known as Old Style Figures, non-lining figures are numbers that don't line up neatly on the baseline. They can be described as having ascenders or descenders such as the stroke on the six that extends above the top of other numbers or the tail on the 9 that extends below the baseline. Some figures may appear to be much larger or smaller than companion figures. Often Non-Lining Figures are available only in Expert Character Sets although some fonts may come with both Non-Lining Figures and Lining Figure (those that sit on the baseline). Today's OpenType fonts are more likely to contain multiple number styles, including non-lining figures.
There are two types of spacing common with Non-Lining Figures:
- Proportional Old Style Figures typically work well within a paragraph of text, blending into the text better than the larger lining figures.
- Tabular Old Style Figures are monospaced and work well when numbers need to line up in columns such as in tables, financial documents, or numbered lists.
Also Known As: ornamental figures | old style numerals | old style figures | OsF
