Typography: The study and process of typefaces; how to select, size, arrange, and use them in general.

In modern terms. typography includes computer display and output. Traditionally, typography was the use
of metal types with raised letterforms that were inked and then pressed onto paper.

Typeface: Set of characters that share common characteristics such as stroke width and the presence or
absence of serifs. Type of a uniform design, often named after a designer, a typeface or "face" (e.g.,
Goudy Oldstyle) is an interpretation of a character set that shares a similar appearance and design. The
character set includes letters, numbers, punctuation, and symbols. On computers. "typeface" is used
interchangeably with the term "font," though they are not synonymous.

Type Font: The complete set of characters for one typeface at one particular type size, excluding
attributes such as bold or italic. In modern usage, the term "font" is often confused with "typeface" and
"family." Traditionally, the term "font" represents a complete set of characters (including all the letters of
the alphabet, punctuation, and symbols), which share the same typeface, style, and size. For example, 12
point Goudy Oldstyle Bold is a font. Fonts can be as small as the basic alphabet or up to hundreds of
characters. Some languages, like Japanese, can exceed these numbers, which make them more difficult
to access from the standard keyboard. Derived from the word "found" as in type foundry.

Type Family: Includes many style variations of a single typeface.

Pica: A unit of measurement equal to one-sixth of an inch. There are 12 points to a pica. A typographic
measurement that has survived the digital revolution. 12 points = 1 pica; 6 picas = 1 inch; 72 points = 1
inch.

Point: A unit of measurement, often used to measure type size, equal to 0.013837 inch (approximately
equal to 1/72"). The traditional point measurement was slightly more or less than 72 points to the inch
(depending on the typesetting measurement system).

Serif: Small, finishing strokes on the arms, stems, and tails of characters. Serif typefaces are usually
used for text since the serifs form a link between letters that leads the eye across a line of type.

Sans Serif: A typeface without serifs. For example, Helvetica or Modern. Sans serif type is more legible
in headings than in a long passage of text. Helvetica is an example of a sans serif typeface. First
designed by William Caslon IV in 1816, it was originally referred to as "English Egyptian." Also known as
"Gothic" in the United States and "Grotesque" in Europe.

Script letters are joined and should not be confused with cursive, which are not connected. Since script is
difficult to read, its use should be limited to a few lines at a time. Early script typefaces were developed in
the sixteenth century, and were based upon formal cursive handwriting.

Kerning: The adjustment of spacing between letters. The process of improving appearance and legibility
by adjusting the white space between certain paired characters, such as 'Ty', 'To', or 'Ye', which are
known as "kerning pairs." Manual kerning allows the desktop publisher to move letters either closer or
farther apart ~o adjust and improve the space between them. Automatic kerning on the computer is done
by using a kerning table (an AFM file) that contains pre defined font specific kerning pairs. Sometimes
incorrectly referred to as "minus setting."

Leading: The amount of vertical space between lines of type. The distance from the baseline of one line
of type and the baseline of another line of type immediately above or below it; also known as line spacing
and usually measured in points.

Word Spacing: In a line of text, this is the amount of space between each word. It can be varied to adjust
line length without affecting readability, unlike letterspacing.

Letter Spacing: Extra space inserted between letters in a word. Also called Kerning. Separating all the
letters in a word with spaces. Best used to modify headings, this should be applied with caution since too
much letter spacing makes copy difficult to read. Some programs automatically add letter spacing when
the text is justified.

Ascender: The part of a lowercase letter that rises above the main body of the letter (as in b, d, h). The
part that extends above the x-height of a font.

X-Height: The height of those lowercase letters such as "x", which do not have ascenders or descenders.
The lowercase 'x' is used for measurement since it usually sits squarely on the baseline.

Baseline: The imaginary line upon which text rests. Descenders extend below the baseline. Also known
as the "reading line." The line along which the bases of all capital letters (and most lowercase letters) are
positioned.

Stroke: The main diagonal portion of a letterform such as in N, M, or Y is the stroke. The stroke is
secondary to the main stem(s). Some letterforms with two diagonals, such as A or V have a stem (the
primary vertical or near-vertical stroke) and a stroke (the main diagonal).
Other letter parts such as bars, arms, stems, and bowls are collectively referred to as the strokes that
make up a letterform.
Body Copy: The main body of words or copy in any type of documents.
Counter: The enclosed (or partially enclosed) space within letters such as 'c,' 'e,' S,' 'H,' and 'g.' Often
confused with "bowl."

Positive and Negative: A basic principle of visual perception and refers to the relationship of shapes, of
figure to ground, on a two-dimensional surface; also called figure/ground.

Descender: The lowest portion of letters such as 'g,' 'j,' 'p.' 'q,' and 'y' that extends below the baseline, or
reading line of type. The portion of a lowercase letter that extends below the base line of the letter.

Cross Bar: The horizontal bar connecting two strokes of a let-terform, as in "H" and "A", the ends are not
free.