Typography Dictionary

Explore the world of typography and digital type through words, definitions, and mini-tutorials on using fonts in desktop publishing.
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161 Articles in: Typography Dictionary
Examples of words with accent marks - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Accent Mark
A common occurrence in French, German, Italian, Spanish, and other languages, accent marks are marks that change the way certain letters sound.
adjacent initial caps - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Adjacent Caps
An adjacent cap is an initial letter in the first word that is set off to the side of a paragraph. It's like a dropped cap but dropped over to the side.
- # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Agate
A standard unit of measurement found primarily in newspaper publishing...
Desktop Publishing Terminology - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Agate Line
Still used as a unit of measure in advertising space in some newsletters...
Aliasing in a Bitmap Image - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Aliasing
Aliasing is when curves get ugly. What causes those jagged edges?
Alignment example. - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Beginner's Guide to the Principle of Alignment in Graphic Design
One of the principles of design, alignment is commonly thought of in terms of aligning text but also applies to graphics and even icons on your phone.
Examples of text in ALL CAPS - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
All Caps
All uppercase...
ampersand styles - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Ampersand
Find out what an ampersand really is and how the ampersand is used in desktop publishing.
Smoothing the Jagged Edges - Anti-Aliasing - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Anti-Aliasing
This page offers an explanation of what anti-aliasing, aliasing, font smoothing, and jaggies mean in terms of desktop publishing.
Aperture - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Aperture
Learn what part is called the aperture and the role it plays in typeface identification.
Apex - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Apex
In typography, apex is part of the anatomy of some characters.
Apostrophe - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Apostrophe
The little squiggle that turns it is into it's is called an apostrophe. Discover what forms the apostrophe takes.
type anatomy arm - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Do Your Fonts Have Arms?
Cross your arms, or not. Discover what part of a letter is the arm and how it is similiar and different from a crossbar and cross stroke.
Ascender - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Here's What 'Ascender' Means in Typography
Which way does the ascender go and what is its significance? Find out.
Examples of an asterisk - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Asterisk
What is an asterisk and where did it originate? Use of an asterisk in desktop publishing
Examples of the at sign - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
At sign
Origin and definition of the at sign or @
Auto leading in InDesign - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Auto Leading
Leading done, automatically...
Stress.png - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Axis
An imaginary line drawn from top to bottom of a glyph bisecting the upper and lower strokes is the axis.
Backslant.png - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Backslant
Reverse italic fonts.
type anatomy terminal - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
What Part of a Letter is the Terminal?
It's not a deadly disease and it's not quite an ending. Find the terminal bits and pieces of your fonts.
type anatomy crossbar - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Crossbar
Discover the difference between arm, crossbar, and cross stroke as used in typography.
Desktop Publishing Terminology - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Base 14 Fonts
Base 14 Fonts are specific common Type 1 fonts installed as a part of the Adobe Acrobat installation.
Baseline - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Baseline
Baseline. It's the imaginary line upon which a line of text rests. Just because we don't see it doesn't mean it's not important. Find out why.
type anatomy beak - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Beak
A decorative stroke on some letters.
Examples of Black Type - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Black
Black is a color, yes, but in desktop publishing and graphic design it's also a specific ink and a style of type.
Examples of Blackletter type. - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Blackletter
Blackletter - A style of typeface based on early written forms...
Desktop Publishing Terminology - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Blurb
One or more lines of text found between the headline and the body of the article...
Choose the right type size for body text - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Body Copy
Body is the main text found in publications we read. Learn how it fits with other page elements and how to choose fonts specifically for this body text.
bold type - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Bold Type
Bold Type - A typeface with thicker strokes than regular text...
type anatomy bowl - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Bowl
Bowl - The curved part of the character that encloses the circular or curved parts of some letters...
type anatomy bracket fillet - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Bracket
Bracket - A curved or wedge-like connection between the stem and serif of some fonts...
bullets - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Bullet
More than just a dot...
CapHeight.png - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Cap Height
The height of capital letters in a typeface.
bold type - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Character Emphasis
Making characters stand out from surrounding text...
Character spacing changes line endings - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Character Spacing
Adjusting the overall spacing between characters and words...
kerning letterspacing - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Fine-tune Your Text With Some Kerning
Find out what kerning means (it's like letterspacing but there's more to it) and how to use it to fine-tune your text.
These G's have a chin - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
The Chin That's Not On Your Face (Type Anatomy)
Some capital G's like to keep their chin up...
colophon - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Colophon
The colophon describes the technical specs of a book or magazine...
Examples of Condensed Fonts - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Ways to Use & Not Use Condensed Fonts
Fonts in a type family that are narrower and often used to conserve space.
type anatomy counter example - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Counter
Reset your font counter. Explore the difference between counter, bowl, and aperture.
cross stroke - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Cross Stroke
Discover the difference between arm, crossbar, and cross stroke as used in typography.
Typeset apostrophe | curly apostrophe | tyopgrapher's apostrophe - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Curly Apostrophe
An apostrophe with some curl to it.
Use curly quotes to look like a pro. - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Curly Quotes
The right way to quote someone -- with curls...
Dash - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Dash
A line. A short line. Actually, a couple of short lines.
Decorative Type Examples - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Decorative Type
Fancy or specialty fonts not usually suitable for normal body copy are known as decorative type.
type anatomy - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Descender
Find out what letter parts are classified as descenders.
Desktop Publishing Terminology - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Didot Point
A measure of type developed by Francois Didot.
Examples of words with diacriticals - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Diacritical
A common occurrence in French, German, Italian, Spanish, and other languages, diacriticals are marks that change the way certain letters sound.
dingbats free fonts - # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ
Dingbat
A picture in font form is a dingbat. Learn more about what they are and how to use them.
Diacritical
The accent marks used on some characters to denote a specific pronounciation...
Dingbat
A typographic ornament or graphic...
Diphthong
Joined letters that represent a gliding vowel...
Display Type
Decorative or not, any type larger than body copy sizes...
Dropped Caps
Big letters dropped into a hole in a paragraph of text...
Dollar Sign
Currency symbol, programming symbol...
Double-Storey a
A specific style of lowercase a...
Double-Storey g
A specific style of lowercase g...
Ear
A decorative flourish usually found on a g...
Em
If you know your point size you know your em...
Em Dash
Dash with a length of em...
En
Half an em, it's a typographic measurement...
En Dash
Instead of a hyphen in some instances...
End Sign
Used to mark the end of a story in a newsletter or magazine...
Euro Mark (€)
Currency symbol for the European Union...
Exclamation !
A punctuation mark used in English and other languages to denote an exclamatory statement...
Expert Characters
Some special characters in some fonts...
Extender
That part of a letter that extends above the x-height or below the baseline...
Eye
The enclosed space in a lowercase e...
Finial
A somewhat tapered curved end on some letters or a swash or ornamental flourish...
Finial a (Double-Storey a)
A specific style of lowercase a...
Flush
A type of alignment...
Font
Do you want to know the parts of a font, identify a font, or are you just looking for all the free fonts? Whatever the font you want, start here.
Forced Justification
Forcing justification of all lines of text...
Garalde
An old style of font...
Greeking
Placeholder text...
Hairline
Thinnest stroke, thinnest line, thinniest serif...
Hanging Punctuation
Putting punctuation outside the text alignment...
Head
Lines of text introducing an article or sub-section...
Helvetica Font
A very popular, grotesque font...
Hyphen
Like a dash but not a dash...
Initial Caps
The first letter in a paragraph, enhanced...
Inverted Exclamation ¡
A punctuation mark used in some languages, such as Spanish...
Italic
A style of slanted type...
Jaggies
Jagged edges on curves and diagonal lines...
Justification
Text alignment...
Kerning
The adjustment of space between pairs of letters...
Kerning Pairs
Letters that kern well together...
Leaders
Rows of dots...
Leading
Reading between the lines...
Leg
The lower, down sloping stroke of the K and k...
Letterspacing (Kerning)

The space between letters (also see Tracking)

LF
A font abbreviation...
Ligature
Combined letters...
Lining Figures
1234567890 all lined up on the baseline...
Link
Small, usually curved stroke in a double-storey g...
Loop
The enclosed or partially enclosed part of some types of letters...
Lorem Ipsum
Placeholder text with a Latin twist...
Lowercase
Little letters... a b c d e f g h i j k...
Modern
It's a typestyle that's not too modern today (try 18th/19th century)...
Monospaced Fonts
Evenly spaced characters...
Non-Lining Figures
Old Style numbers that don't line up neatly on the baseline...
Old Style
A style of font developed by Renaissance typographers to replace the Blackletter style of type...
Oblique
Sans serif italics...
Old Style Figures
Non-lining numbers with descenders and ascenders...
OsF
OldStyle Figures...
OpenType Fonts
An extension of the TrueType font format and increasingly more popular than TrueType...
Overshoot
Just a little over the line...
Pica
Unit of measurement for lines of type...
Point
Type and printing measurement...
PostScript Fonts (Type 1 Fonts)
Digital type technology based on the Adobe PostScript language...
Pound Symbol
Pound symbol for UK currency, not #
Prime
Prime time to punctuate our numbers?
Printer's Ornaments (Dingbat)
A typographic ornament or graphic...
Orphan
A dangling word or phrase...
Rag
Stuff in paper or how type is aligned on paper...
Ragged
Natural line endings...
Raised Caps
A bigger letter that rises up above the text (not dropped into it)...
Reversed Type
A lighter typeface on a darker background...
SC
A font suffix or prefix identifier...
Spline
The main left to right curving stroke in S and s...
Roman
One of three major type classifications of Western typography...
Sans Serif
Fonts without serifs...
Script
Type style based on handwriting...
Serif
Fonts with a little extra stroke and the little stroke itself...
Slab Serif
A type of serif font that evolved from the Modern style...
Small Caps
Capital or uppercase letters that are a smaller size than regular capitals in a given font...
Spur
A small bit at the end of certain curved portions of a letterform...
Star (Asterisk)
The star-like symbol (*) used in literature, math, computing, and many other fields...
Stem
The main, usually vertical stroke of a letterform...
Stress
Thick-thin transitions in type...
Stroke
The main diagonal portion of a letterform such as in N, M, or Y...
Tail
The descending stroke, often decorative, on some letters such as the Q...
Terminal
A type of curve...
TF
Tabular Figures...
Tilted
Type that leans a little...
Tittle
A diacritic dot on a couple of letters...
Tombstoning
Heads that line up horizontally in a multi-column layout...
Tracking
Adjusting the overall spacing between characters...
Transitional
In between the old and new...
TrueType Fonts
Font technnology originally designed by Apple Computer but widely associated with the Microsoft Windows platform...
Type
Letters and numbers...
Type 1 Fonts
Digital type based on the Adobe PostScript language...
Type Designer
One who designs type...
Typeface
When you see a font, you see a typeface...
Typeset Apostrophe
An apostrophe with some curl to it?
Typesetter
One who sets the type...
Typesetting
Putting the words in the right type...
Typewriter Font
Fonts that mimic the type of typewriters...
Typographer
One who knows a lot about type and printing...
Typographer's Marks
The mark of good text composition...
Typographical Punctuation Marks
Proper punctuation from a typographical viewpoint...
Typography
The design and use of typefaces as a means of visual communication from calligraphy to the ever-developing use of digital type...
Venetian
A font of the Renaissance...
Uncial
Early style of writing originally in all caps...
Uppercase
Uppercase makes little letters big... A B C D E ...
Widow
A dangling word or phrase...
Wordmark
A logo of words...
X-Height
Distance between the baseline of a line of type and tops of the main body of lower case letters...
Yen Symbol (¥)
Currency symbol in Japan...
Zero Leading
No space between lines of type would be zero leading.
Dictionary Index
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 Dictionaries
Graphics | Layout & Design
Prepress | Printing & Finishing
Software | Type & Fonts
Business | Paper

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