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1. Typographic Terms
Basic terms & parts of a letterform
49
Art/Design
Undergraduate 2
09/04/2018

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Term
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Definition
Bracket - A curved or wedge-like connection between the stem and serif of some fonts. Not all serifs are bracketed serifs.
Term
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Cap-line - Imaginary line marking the height of uppercase letters within a typeface.
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Ligature - Two or more letters are joined together to form one glyph or character.
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Any single element that is part of a typeface. This includes letters, numbers, punctuation, ligatures, swashes, and dingbats, among others.
Term
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Spine - The main curved stroke of the S or s.
Term
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Definition
Arm - An upper (horizontal or diagonal) stroke that is attached on one end and free on the other.
Term
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Definition
Beak - Decorative stroke at the end of the arm of a letter, similar to a serif (found on E, F, T)
Term
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Definition
Ampersand- a symbol for the word "and."
Term
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X-height - The height of lowercase letters reach based on the height of lowercase x; does not include ascenders or descenders. The space between the baseline and the median.
Term
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Baseline - the imaginary line on which the body of a letterform rests.
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Ascender - the part of a character that ascends above the median.
Term
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Serif - A stroke added as a stop to the beginning and end of the main strokes of a character.
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A system of characters and glyphs that are designed to work together.
Term
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Stem- the vertical stroke of a letterform.
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Median, Meanline or Waistline - Imaginary line running along the top of non-ascending, lowercase letters.
Term
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Definition
Barb - Decorative stroke at the end of a curved stroke as in G, S.
Term
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Definition
Cross stroke - A horizontal stroke that bisects the main stroke (as in f, t or T).
Term
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Aperture - the opening of an open counter.
Term
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Crossbar - The horizontal stroke connecting two sides of a letterform (as in e, A, and H)
Term
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Definition
Bowl - A curved stroke which creates a counter within a character.
Term
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Definition
Teardrop terminal - strokes end in a teardrop shape
Term
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A complete set of characters and glyphs of a single typeface
Term
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Vertex-The outside point at the bottom or top of a character where two strokes meet.
Term
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Loop - The lower portion of a double-story (link and loop) g.
Term
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Definition
Eye - the counter of a lower case e.
Term
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Definition
Apex - A point at the top of a character where two strokes meet.
Term
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Definition
Double story a / single story a
Term
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Definition
Spur - A small projection off a main stroke found on many capital Gs.
Term
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Definition
Shoulder - A curved stroke projecting from a stem - h,m,n.
Term
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Definition
Crotch - the interior area of a letterform where two diagonal strokes converge.
Term
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Definition
Tail - The descender on an upper-case Q.
Term
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Definition
Ear - The small stroke that projects from the top of the lowercase g or r.
Term
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Definition
Any individual part of a letterform. Strokes can be horizontal, diagonal, vertical or curved or decorative.
Term
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Definition
Ear - The small stroke that projects from the top of the lowercase g or r.
Term
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Definition
The end of any stroke.
Term
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Axis - An imaginary line drawn from top to bottom of a glyph bisecting thinnest parts of the strokes in a O.
Vertical Axis- found in formal typefaces
Diagonal Axis - found in more informal, friendlier typefaces
Term
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Definition
Link- the connecting stroke between the upper bowl and the lower loop of a double-story (link and loop) g.
Term
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Definition
Tittle - A small distinguishing mark, such as on a lowercase i or j. (the dot)
Term
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Definition
Characters that are upright, not italic.
Term
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Dingbat - a typographical device other than a letterform, numeral or punctuation mark. Symbols, marks, or images that are designed to work as a part of a system as a typeface.
Term
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Definition
Angled (oblique), light-bodied, compact, and almost cursive characters. Not roman (upright).
Term
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Descender - The part of a character (g, j, p, q, y for example) that descends below the baseline.
Term
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Definition
Ball Terminal - a circular terminal
Term
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Definition
Leg - A lower (horizontal or diagonal) stroke that is attached on one end and free on the other.
Term
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Hook - the lower portion, descender, of a single story g.
Term
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numbers and letterforms.
Term
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Definition
Swash -Exaggerated decorative serif, terminal or tail.
Term
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Overshoot - the portion of a curved stroke that extends over the baseline, the median or the capline. Overshoot is necessary in order to make round characters appear to be the correct height.
Term
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Counter - The partially or fully enclosed space within a character.
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