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Glossary Words - A
From Jacci Howard Bear, About.com Guide
These are just the briefest of definitions of Desktop Publishing terminology starting with A. For more detailed descriptions see the individual page for each term.
# | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | (Q) X Y Z
Specialty Glossaries: Graphics | Layout & Design | Prepress | Printing & Finishing | Software | Type & Fonts | Business | Paper
These are just the briefest of definitions of Desktop Publishing terminology starting with A. For more detailed descriptions see the individual page for each term.
# | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | (Q) X Y Z
Specialty Glossaries: Graphics | Layout & Design | Prepress | Printing & Finishing | Software | Type & Fonts | Business | Paper
A4
Letter size paper, except in North America...
AAs
When a client asks for changes in the text or artwork...
Absorbency
The ability of paper to absorb and hold ink...
Accent Mark
Used on some characters to denote a specific pronounciation...
Accent Mark (Diacritical)
Used on some characters to denote a specific pronounciation...
Accordian Folds
Zig-zag folds with 6 panels and two parallel folds...
Acid Free Paper
Paper without acid...
Acknowledgment
Part of a book's front matter...
Acrobat Reader
Software for reading PDF files created with Adobe Acrobat or other programs...
Additive Primaries
Colors that add up to white light...
Adjacent Caps
A big letter off to the side...
Adjacent Colors
Color wheel neighbors...
Adobe
Publisher of InDesign, Photoshop, and more software...
Adobe Acrobat
Software used to create, edit, and work with PDF files...
Adobe Acrobat Distiller
Software used to turn PostScript files into PDF format...
Adobe InDesign
Professional page layout software...
Agate Line
A measure of a column, especially for advertising purposes, it is the measurement used in calculating a linear column inch...
Agate
Tiny type or a column depth of 5 1/2 points still used in newspaper publishing...
Aliasing
Aliasing is when curves get ugly...
Alignment
Lining up the top, bottom, sides, or middle of text or graphic elements on a page...
All Caps
Text set in all capital or uppercase letters...
Alley
The blank space between two columns of text...
Alpha Channels
Bitmap masks with transparency used in photo compositing and converted to clipping paths for hiding backgrounds...
Ampersand
The proper name for the symbol used to denote the word "and"...
Anti-Aliasing
The process of getting rid of the jagged edges on fonts and bitmap images...
Antique Finish
The roughest texture offered in offset paper...
Aperture
Partially enclosed, somewhat rounded negative space in some characters such as n, C, S...
Apex
The point at the top of a character such as the uppercase A where the left and right strokes meet...
Apostrophe
The little squiggle that turns it is into it's...
App
Software and other programs by a shorter name...
AQ Coating
Wet paper?
Archival Paper
Acid free (neutral pH) and lignin free paper...
Arm
The horizontal stroke on some characters that does not connect to a stroke or stem at one or both ends such as on F and T.
Artwork
In desktop publishing artwork is the pictures but sometimes it's the text too when we're talking about camera-ready artwork.
Ascender
The upward vertical stem on some lowercase letters, such as h and b, that extends above the x-height...
Asterisk
The star-like * is used in literature, math, computing, and many other fields...
Asymmetrical
Typically off-center or created with an odd or mismatched number of disparate elements...
At Sign
The @ sign means each, at, or each at and is used in internet email addresses...
Auto Leading
Leading done, automatically...
Axis
An imaginary line bisecting the top and bottom strokes of a glyph used in determining the angle of stress...
Desktop Publishing Glossary Index
Get a grip on the jaggies and justification. Look up the meaning and uses for an asterisk and an inverted exclamation point. Explore gatefolds, manifolds, and z folds. A key part of learning desktop publishing is learning the language, the acronyms, the abbreviations.
# | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | (Q) X Y Z
Specialty Glossaries
Graphics | Layout & Design
Prepress | Printing & Finishing
Software | Type & Fonts
Business | Paper
# | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | (Q) X Y Z
Specialty Glossaries
Graphics | Layout & Design
Prepress | Printing & Finishing
Software | Type & Fonts
Business | Paper