Melbourne Museum of Printing
PRINTING EXPLAINED
Our Glossary of Printing and Typography
UP ONE LEVEL :: Glossary Index ________
UP TWO LEVELS :: Home Page ________
_____Rejoin_Tour_____
.

Glossary Theme

Alphabetic Glossary, page 1, A,B


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
CHOOSE
ANOTHER
ALPHABETIC
PAGE:
A,B
C
DEF
G-K
L,M
N-Q
R,S
T-Z
CHOOSE A THEMATIC PAGE:
CHARACTERS, TYPEFACES
LAYOUT, PREPRESS, TYPOGRAPHY
TYPECASTING, MEASUREMENTS
MACHINE TYPESETTING, HOT/COLD
LETTERPRESS COMP, STEREOTYPES
WORKFLOW, PROOFREADING, IMAGES
PRINTING: LETTERPRESS, LITHO
FINISHING: CUT, NUMBER, BIND

ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THESE DEFINITIONS INCLUDE:
usu = usually cf = compare with eg = for example typic = typically

NOUN, COUNTABLE abrupt serif CHARACTER PARTS AND STROKES
serif shape suddenly changing direction from the stem

NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE accent . . . . . . 1 LAYOUT AND DESIGN
variation in typeface to provide emphasis for a word, paragraph or article

NOUN, COUNTABLE accent . . . . . . 2 CHARACTERS
a mark above, below or through a letter to change its value in the language: same as diacritic

NOUN, COUNTABLE accent . . . . . . 3 TYPE FACE DESIGNS
the degree to which some strokes of a face are heavier than others: Bodoni has a strong accent

NOUN, COUNTABLE accented character CHARACTERS
character with a mark to indicate a changed value - see Diacritic

NOUN, COUNTABLE acute accent CHARACTERS
diacritic above letter, usu vowel, often indicating a sharp sound: a mark rising to the right

BRAND NAME Adana LETTERPRESS PRINTING
manuf of tabletop and other small presses, guillotines, thermographs [UK]

NOUN, COUNTABLE additive colours COLOUR WORK, PRINTING INKS
colour system which adds colour rays to make other colours: projected light: RGB as in video

BRAND NAME Addressograph OFFICE SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT
an addressing system for office use until about 1980 [US]: Addressograph-Multigraph (later AM)

NOUN, COUNTABLE adnate serif CHARACTER PARTS AND STROKES
serif shape with flowing connection to stem

NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE air LAYOUT AND DESIGN
white space: an airy layout

PROPER NOUN Albion press LETTERPRESS PRINTING
style of hand operated horizontal platen press: sliding bed: hand inked [UK]

NOUN, COUNTABLE alley LAYOUT AND DESIGN
strip of space between columns etc

NOUN, COUNTABLE alphabet length TYPE MEASUREMENTS
the length of complete lower case alphabet, measured in absolute or relative units (ems of size).

BRAND NAME AM Corporation . . 1 OFFICE SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT
Prev Addressograph-Multigraph Corp, became AM to concentrate on litho and photo-composing.

BRAND NAME AM Corporation . . 2 PRINTING, ANY PROCESS
After Addressographs and Multigraphs, made MultiLith litho press and Compugraphic typesetter

NOUN, COUNTABLE ampersand CHARACTERS
symbol representing Latin word et, meaning and: often elaborately designed

NOUN, COUNTABLE angle matrix LUDLOW TYPOGRAPH SYSTEM
unlike Linotype, the Ludlow can accommodate matrices cut at an angle for italics and scripts

NOUN, COUNTABLE angle quad LETTERPRESS COMPOSING
spacing unit of triangular section, to facilitate setting lines at an angle

NOUN, COUNTABLE anodized plate LITHOGRAPHY INCL OFFSET
offset printing plate, aluminium, with anodised (oxidised) surface for wear resistance

ADJECTIVE antiqua TYPE FACE DESIGNS
European term for Roman typefaces

BRAND NAME Arab press LETTERPRESS PRINTING
brand of treadle platen press by J. Wade [UK]

NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE art paper PAPER SPECIFICATIONS
smooth paper, coated with china clay

NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE artwork LAYOUT AND DESIGN
copy (text, images) prepared for photographic reproduction, eg for blockmaking or photolitho

NOUN, COUNTABLE ascender CHARACTER PARTS AND STROKES
the rising stem of lowercase letters like b,d,h

NOUN, COUNTABLE ascender height TYPE MEASUREMENTS
height from baseline to the top of ascending strokes

NOUN, COUNTABLE assembler LINOTYPE/INTERTYPE LINECASTER
parts which bring the descending mats and spacebands together to form a line

NOUN, COUNTABLE assembling elevator LINOTYPE/INTERTYPE LINECASTER
the "cage" where the line of mats assembles: the cage lifts the assembled line into the mechanism

NOUN, COUNTABLE asterisk CHARACTERS
reference mark in form of a star, usu raised: the most common reference mark

NOUN, COUNTABLE author's correction WORKFLOW
change made by an author after typesetting etc: typesetters usu charge extra for "authors"

NOUN, COUNTABLE automatic press LETTERPRESS PRINTING
a printing press with a mechanical feeder. Feeders were originally an attachment.

NOUN, COUNTABLE automatic stop LINOTYPE/INTERTYPE LINECASTER
device to detect first elevator fully descended to mould before casting otherwise machine will halt

NOUN, COUNTABLE back knife LINOTYPE/INTERTYPE LINECASTER
knife, behind the mould wheel: as the mould passes, the foot of slug is trimmed to correct height

NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE back matter LAYOUT AND DESIGN
material, such as an appendix, that comes after the main text

VERB back up PRINTING, ANY PROCESS
print the second side of a sheet

ADJECTIVE backslanting TYPE FACE DESIGNS
slanting the opposite way from italic

NOUN, COUNTABLE ball terminal CHARACTER PARTS AND STROKES
terminal ending in a ball shape eg the tail of j in some typefaces

NOUN, COUNTABLE balloon IMAGES, HALFTONES
circle or bubble with words as in a cartoon

BRAND NAME BANDA OFFICE SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT
Block and Anderson: duplicators, esp spirit duplicators

NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE bank paper PAPER SPECIFICATIONS
lightweight writing paper

NOUN, COUNTABLE banner LAYOUT AND DESIGN
large headline or title usually full width of page

NOUN, COUNTABLE baseline TYPE MEASUREMENTS
line on which most characters sit

NOUN, COUNTABLE basis weight PAPER SPECIFICATIONS
[US] weight in pounds of a ream of standard size

NOUN, COUNTABLE beak terminal CHARACTER PARTS AND STROKES
terminal ending in a spur shape: eg the tops of b, d, h, l in some typefaces

NOUN, COUNTABLE bed LETTERPRESS PRINTING
base of press, within which the forme is held: may be horizontal or vertical

VERB bind FINISHING & BOOKBINDING
secure leaves or sections into a book

NOUN, COUNTABLE bindery FINISHING & BOOKBINDING
that part of a workplace where printed sheets are cut, folded, collated, or bound

ADJECTIVE blackletter TYPE FACE DESIGNS
typefaces pre-roman like Old English and Fraktur

NOUN, COUNTABLE blanket cylinder LITHOGRAPHY INCL OFFSET
the cylinder which carries the rubber blanket in an offset press

VERB bleed [off] LAYOUT AND DESIGN
make an image extend beyond the trim line

VERB blind emboss EMBELLISHING
make an embossed impression without ink or foil, usu with engraved die and moulded counter-die

NOUN, COUNTABLE block . . . . . . 1 IMAGES, HALFTONES
engraving for letterpress: may be line or halftone: usu mounted type-high on wood

VERB block . . . . . . 2 EMBELLISHING
stamp with gold foil or similar, often onto a book cover or spine. A subset of hot foil printing.

BRAND NAME Block and Anderson OFFICE SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT
maker of BANDA spirit duplicator [UK]

NOUN, COUNTABLE blocking press EMBELLISHING
press with heated typeholder and usu foil feed, for blocking onto book covers or other work

NOUN, COUNTABLE blueline PRE PRESS, COMPUTER LAYOUT
photographic proof where the type and images are in blue and not suitable for reproduction

NOUN, COUNTABLE blurb LAYOUT AND DESIGN
short description or commentary on an article, book or author

NOUN, COUNTABLE body . . . . . . . 1 TYPE CASTING
shank of metal supporting the platform and typeface: the "bulky" part of a piece of type

NOUN, COUNTABLE body . . . . . . . 2 LAYOUT AND DESIGN
main text of an article, not including headlines

NOUN, COUNTABLE body size TYPE MEASUREMENTS
size pointwise of type body: the step, baseline-to-baseline in solid (unleaded) typesetting

ADJECTIVE bold TYPE FACE DESIGNS
having strokes thicker than standard or medium

ADJECTIVE bolded TYPE FACE DESIGNS
having strokes made more bold by a computer: may differ from a separately designed bold face

NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE bond paper PAPER SPECIFICATIONS
sized writing paper typically 70-90. Suitable for printing

NOUN, COUNTABLE border LETTERPRESS COMPOSING
line of decoration: unit borders (separate types), patterned slug, or continuous strip border

NOUN, COUNTABLE bowl CHARACTER PARTS AND STROKES
round or elliptical element of a character as in C G O b d q p

NOUN, COUNTABLE bowler IMAGES, HALFTONES
machine for planing the edge of engravings or stereos including the mount

NOUN, COUNTABLE bracketed serif CHARACTER PARTS AND STROKES
serif shape with a wedge or bracket between serif and stem

BRAND NAME Brandtjen & Kluge LETTERPRESS PRINTING
US manuf of platen press, handfed and auto, gold foil, continuous. extant 1997

NOUN, COUNTABLE brass circle & oval1 LETTERPRESS COMPOSING
devices to print a circle or oval rule with type in the middle. Often for business seals or stamps

NOUN, COUNTABLE brass circle & oval2 STEREOTYPING, RUBBER STAMPS
typesetting device often used by stampmakers for company seals and official-looking stamps

NOUN, COUNTABLE brass circle inner LETTERPRESS COMPOSING
strip of brass rule formed into circle to go inside brass circle outer, leaving room for types.

NOUN, COUNTABLE brass circle outer LETTERPRESS COMPOSING
square block of brass, circular opening for type, type-high rule machined around opening

NOUN, COUNTABLE brass oval LETTERPRESS COMPOSING
oval shaped outer and inner, as for brass circle

NOUN, COUNTABLE brass rule LETTERPRESS COMPOSING
rule strips (see rules) made of brass for long wear

NOUN, COUNTABLE brass type EMBELLISHING
handset types engraved or cast in brass for long wearing properties

NOUN, COUNTABLE breve [breev] CHARACTERS
diacritic above letter, usu vowel, to indicate shorter sound or unstress (like inverted U)

NOUN, COUNTABLE broadside LAYOUT AND DESIGN
work printed on one side of a large sheet of paper.

NOUN, COUNTABLE bromide PRE PRESS, COMPUTER LAYOUT
photographic print with black and white but no grey tones

NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE bronzing EMBELLISHING
golden effect produced by dusting bronze powder onto wet ink

NOUN, COUNTABLE bullet CHARACTERS
dot or other character to distinguish items in a list

NOUN, COUNTABLE buren MATRICES FOR TYPECASTING
hand-held engraving tool for cutting punches or for engraving plates


The definitions and formats in this work Copyright © E. Michael Isaachsen 2000.

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.

PLEASE SEND US A MESSAGE ... SEE OUR CONTACT PAGE.


Return to top

Next Page (ALPHA 2)