Melbourne Museum of Printing | Our Glossary of Printing and Typography |
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SUGGESTION: HOW TO EXPLORE THIS GLOSSARY | ||||||||||
IF YOU KNOW THE NAME OF A TERM, GO TO THE ALPHABETIC PAGE eg to find PICA choose the Alphabetic Page N-Q. You will find several meanings of this word, and that it is mostly used in TYPE MEASUREMENTS. | ||||||||||
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO EXPLORE OTHER TERMS ABOUT TYPE MEASUREMENTS look in the Thematic Glossary about Typecasting and Type Measurements | ||||||||||
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ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THESE DEFINITIONS INCLUDE: | |||
usu = usually | cf = compare with | eg = for example | typic = typically |
NOUN, COUNTABLE | tabloid | LAYOUT AND DESIGN |
page size of newspaper: half broadsheet sizea page half the size of a broadsheet | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | tabular figures | CHARACTERS |
numeral characters with uniforn set-width, essential for setting tables | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | tabular setting | LAYOUT AND DESIGN |
text set out in the form of a table: each column must be justified | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | tail of matrix | STEREOTYPING, RUBBER STAMPS |
length of hard paper pasted to edge of matrix to extend it to the mouth of the casting box | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | teardrop terminal | CHARACTER PARTS AND STROKES |
terminal ending in teardrop shape | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | teletypesetter | LINOTYPE/INTERTYPE LINECASTER |
linotype attachment allowing unmanned operation from incoming telegraphic signals | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | template | COLD TYPE COMPOSITION |
file containing layout details, page dimensions | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | terminal | CHARACTER PARTS AND STROKES |
free-standing end of a stroke: tops of ascenders, hooks of a,g,j | ||
NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE | text | LAYOUT AND DESIGN |
the written material, usu in paragraph form, making up the bulk of a document | ||
NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE | text paper | PAPER SPECIFICATIONS |
paper for the body of a book: often supplied with matching cover stock | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | text type | LAYOUT AND DESIGN |
typeface used for the main text of written material | ||
NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE | thermography | EMBELLISHING |
raised printing effect made by dusting resinous powder onto wet ink and fusing with radiant heat | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | thick space | LETTERPRESS COMPOSING |
a word space equal to one-third of the em [US: 3-to-em space] | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | thin space | LETTERPRESS COMPOSING |
a word space equal to one-fifth of the em [US: five-to-em space] | ||
NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE | three colour process | COLOUR WORK, PRINTING INKS |
full colour printing using three coloured inks alone (widely used early 20th C) | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | three-knife trimmer | FINISHING & BOOKBINDING |
like three guillotines in one to trim top bottom and side of book in one pass | ||
EQUIVALENT TERM | tied letters | CHARACTERS |
ligature | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | tilde | CHARACTERS |
diacritic above letter to show fluid or nasal sound: a curly bar: ~: also used separately as symbol | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | tint | COLOUR WORK, PRINTING INKS |
colour broken down with white ink or by using screen on a solid area | ||
VERB | tip in | FINISHING & BOOKBINDING |
insert single leaf into book by gluing one edge | ||
NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE | tracking | COLD TYPE COMPOSITION |
+ or - variation of letterspacing from that intended by typeface designer | ||
NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE | transfer | LINOTYPE/INTERTYPE LINECASTER |
moves line from first elevator to second elev: spacebands left behind by s/elev | ||
ADJECTIVE | transitional | TYPE FACE DESIGNS |
face with characteristics in between old style and modern | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | transparency | IMAGES, HALFTONES |
positive image on transparent medium, usu a colour photograph | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | trim line | LAYOUT AND DESIGN |
a line in the layout where a guillotine cut is to be made after printing - may be visible or not | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | trim marks | LAYOUT AND DESIGN |
marks towards the edge of the sheets showing the guillo operator where the invisible trim line is | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | triple caps case | LETTERPRESS COMPOSING |
upper case with three sets of divisions | ||
BRAND NAME | TrueType founts | COLD TYPE COMPOSITION |
typeface technology adopted for Windows: one fount covers all sizes | ||
ABBREVIATION | TTS | LINOTYPE/INTERTYPE LINECASTER |
teletypesetting system | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | turned comma . . . 1 | CHARACTERS |
before the open quote was cast separately, comps used an upside-down comma | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | turned comma . . . 2 | CHARACTERS |
many founts of handset cast even today have no open quote - comma must be turned | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | two-letter matrix | LINOTYPE/INTERTYPE LINECASTER |
mat with alternate character, often bold or italic, selectable by operator making mat sit higher | ||
NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE | type | LETTERPRESS COMPOSING |
the relief surface from which words are printed: individual letters or slugs | ||
BRAND NAME | Type 1 founts | COLD TYPE COMPOSITION |
widely available form of digital typeface | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | type cabinet | LETTERPRESS COMPOSING |
storage rack for type cases. May have 1, 2 or (rare) 3 columns of cases, 17 to 24 cases per column | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | type case | LETTERPRESS COMPOSING |
storage drawer for handset type; up to 98 divisions for letters, figures, punctuation and spaces | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | type case frame | LETTERPRESS COMPOSING |
a rack to carry type cases but with open framework, often sloping top | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | type family | TYPE FACE DESIGNS |
a basic typeface and its variants, designed to be used together: the Bembo family | ||
NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE | type height | LETTERPRESS COMPOSING |
height-to-paper: from foot to face: Anglo-American 0.918" (23.32 mm) | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | type high gauge | LETTERPRESS COMPOSING |
device to measure height of block or type: simple U tool to dial readout gauge | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | type page | LAYOUT AND DESIGN |
the area of a layout that includes all printed elements but not the margin | ||
NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE | type size | TYPE MEASUREMENTS |
type body height: line-to-line spacing when type is set solid | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | typeface . . . . . 1 | TYPE FACE DESIGNS |
unifying characteristics of a fount of type: stroke weight, serif shape, stress | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | typeface . . . . . 2 | LETTERPRESS COMPOSING |
the raised surface of the type, the part that prints, is its face | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | typefounder | TYPE CASTING |
person who casts types from molten typemetal. To found means to melt and cast. | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | typefoundry | TYPE CASTING |
place or business where metal types are cast. Not a place where digital typeface designs are sold! | ||
NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE | typemetal | TYPE CASTING |
an alloy of lead with tin and (usu) antimony and perhaps traces of other metals | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | typemetal strength | TYPE CASTING |
harder grades of typemetal for foundry down to 60% Lead : softer 85% grade for Linotype use. | ||
ABBREVIATION | typo . . . . . . . 1 | WORKFLOW |
typographical error: an error introduced in the typesetting process | ||
MISCONCEPTION / INAPPROP TERM | typo . . . . . . . 2 | WORKFLOW |
often mistakenly used for any spelling error including author's errors | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | typographer | TYPOGRAPHY - GENERALITIES |
'writer with types' (Greek words): textual design specialist | ||
NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE | typographic color | LAYOUT AND DESIGN |
appearance of text, as a block on the page, as to darkness and evenness | ||
NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE | typography . . . . 1 | TYPOGRAPHY - GENERALITIES |
'writing with types': art of typesetting and printing | ||
NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE | typography . . . . 2 | TYPOGRAPHY - GENERALITIES |
the art of planning text area of a document, or of typesetting the text using good design | ||
ABBREVIATION | u & lc | LAYOUT AND DESIGN |
upper and lower case | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | umlaut | CHARACTERS |
diacritic above vowel, to indicate changed value. Consists of two dots, like the diaeresis. | ||
ADJECTIVE | uncial | TYPE FACE DESIGNS |
style of manuscript lettering without capitals: some typefaces emulate this | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | unit | COLD TYPE COMPOSITION |
setwise subdivision of typesize: each system has its own unit arrangement | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | unit arrangement | MONOTYPE COMPOSITION CASTER |
specification of which character-widths will go into which matrix-case row: includes stopbar code | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | unit of width | MONOTYPE COMPOSITION CASTER |
the set-size is divided into 18 units: characters specified to be so-many units, normal minimum 3 | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | upper case . . . . 1 | LETTERPRESS COMPOSING |
the upper, or rearmost of a pair of cases, holding the less used characters | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | upper case . . . . 2 | CHARACTERS |
majuscule characters, often called capital letters | ||
BRAND NAME | Varityper | COLD TYPE COMPOSITION |
strike-on machine, one of the first with choice of typefaces for office use | ||
NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE | varnish | COLOUR WORK, PRINTING INKS |
vehicle component of common printing inks; traditionally boiled linseed oil | ||
VERB | varnishing | PRINTING, ANY PROCESS |
use of 'ink without pigment' to coat previously printed work, usu on the press | ||
NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE | vehicle | COLOUR WORK, PRINTING INKS |
liquid component of ink: the vehicle oxidises, absorbs or evaporates, leaving the pigment solid | ||
NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE | vellum | PAPER SPECIFICATIONS |
treated calf skin for writing: paper resembling this: rough absorbent surface | ||
BRAND NAME | Velox | PRE PRESS, COMPUTER LAYOUT |
high-contrast positive photopaper, used for process bromides | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | verso page | LAYOUT AND DESIGN |
a left-hand page of a book, usu even numbered - cf recto | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | vertical rule | CHARACTERS |
fine vertical line: often matched up from one line to the next: may be double or modified | ||
VERB | vertically justify | LAYOUT AND DESIGN |
adjust vertical spacing of column of page to match its peers | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | vyce [US vise] | LINOTYPE/INTERTYPE LINECASTER |
mechanism which positions mats and expands spacebands prior to casting | ||
ADJECTIVE | washed out | IMAGES, HALFTONES |
photo when reproduced has poor contrast, lack of distinct highlights and blacks | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | watermark | PAPER MAKING |
image or pattern within paper: patterned dandy roller varies web thickness | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | wax stencil | OFFICE SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT |
for stencil duplicator: imaged by parting the wax with unribboned typewriter or hand-held scriber | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | web | PAPER MAKING |
the continuous strip of paper travelling the length of the paper-making process | ||
ADJECTIVE | web fed | PRINTING, ANY PROCESS |
press which prints on a roll of paper, usu folding and sheeting off | ||
ADJECTIVE | web fed flatbed | PRINTING, ANY PROCESS |
flatbed letterpress which prints from a roll. Some newspaper presses print both sides from 2 formes | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | weight . . . . . . 1 | TYPE MEASUREMENTS |
relative stroke thickness of characters, from light to ultra bold | ||
NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE | weight . . . . . . 2 | PAPER SPECIFICATIONS |
general term for thickness or heaviness of paper or board | ||
ABBREVIATION | WF | PROOF READING & CORRECTING |
wrong fount: proofreader's mark to indicate a type from the wrong typecase | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | whiteletter | TYPE FACE DESIGNS |
roman and italic faces (rather than blackletter like Old English) | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | widow | LAYOUT AND DESIGN |
the solitary last line of a para forced onto next column or page -cf orphan | ||
NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE | width | TYPE MEASUREMENTS |
relative total width of characters, from extra condensed to extra expanded | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | window | PRE PRESS, COMPUTER LAYOUT |
blank (still clear) area on neg which will later have image stripped in | ||
NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE | wire | PAPER MAKING |
the wire mesh belt which picks up the pulp at wet end of paper machine | ||
ADJECTIVE | woodfree | PAPER MAKING |
where all lignin has been removed: mainly cellulose pulp | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | word break | LETTERPRESS COMPOSING |
a hyphenation, where word is divided rather than being carried whole to next line | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | word space | LETTERPRESS COMPOSING |
the space-types normally used for inter-word spaces: thick, mid and thin | ||
VERB | work and tumble | WORKFLOW |
front and back of job imposed end-to-end on one plate:printed:tumbled:printed again:cut | ||
VERB | work and turn | WORKFLOW |
both sides of job imposed side-by-side on one plate:printed:turned:printed again:cut | ||
NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE | wove paper | PAPER SPECIFICATIONS |
finely textured paper with no visible wire marks | ||
NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE | x-height | TYPE MEASUREMENTS |
distance, pointwise, between base-line and x-line: height of typical l/c letter | ||
NOUN, COUNTABLE | x-line | TYPE MEASUREMENTS |
the upper-bounding line of typical non-ascending l/c letters | ||
Persons wishing to use these are asked to contact the author at Melbourne Museum of Printing.
Comments and suggestions about terms and definitions will be very welcome.
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