| Melbourne Museum of Printing | Our Glossary of Printing and Typography |
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| SUGGESTION: HOW TO EXPLORE THIS GLOSSARY | ||||||||||
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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. | ||||||||||
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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 |
| ABBREVIATION | L/C or LC | CHARACTERS |
| lower case | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | lachrymal terminal | CHARACTER PARTS AND STROKES |
| fancy term for teardrop terminal | ||
| NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE | laid paper | PAPER SPECIFICATIONS |
| paper showing marks of the wire supports in the paper machine | ||
| VERB | laminate | FINISHING & BOOKBINDING |
| cover printed sheet with plastic foil, usu by heated rollers | ||
| ADJECTIVE | landscape | LAYOUT AND DESIGN |
| format of page or item where width is greater than height: opp portrait | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | laser cutter | CUTTING & CREASING |
| digital device to cut complex channel in wooden mounting block for steel rules | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | layout | LAYOUT AND DESIGN |
| sketch of printed work showing position of items and giving general instructions | ||
| VERB | lead out [led] | LETTERPRESS COMPOSING |
| to lead out a paragraph is to increase its length by leading | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | lead rack | LETTERPRESS COMPOSING |
| typic lengths 10 to 60 picas (steps of 1) often with two divisions per length | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | lead [led] . . . . 1 | LETTERPRESS COMPOSING |
| strip of spacing material mainly used between lines: size is eg 2 pt x 18 picas | ||
| VERB | lead [led] . . . . 2 | LETTERPRESS COMPOSING |
| place leads between consecutive lines to increase effective line spacing | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | leader character | CHARACTERS |
| char with qty of dots or dashes: helps to lead the eye, eg in an index. Also for dotted lines. | ||
| EQUIVALENT TERM | leaders | CHARACTERS |
| see also dotted lines, vertical leaders, rule formes | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | leaders [leeders] | CHARACTERS |
| line of characters to lead the eye across a page usu dots or dashes | ||
| NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE | leading [ledding]. 1 | LAYOUT AND DESIGN |
| space added between lines:line space over and above typeface size | ||
| MISCONCEPTION / INAPPROP TERM | leading [ledding]. 2 | TYPE MEASUREMENTS |
| NOT the distance between baselines: 12pt type, 3pt leaded makes 15pt line-to-line | ||
| BRAND NAME | Letraset | COLD TYPE COMPOSITION |
| dry transfer lettering very popular in the 1960's before computer-gen large types | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | letter slide | NUMBERING MACHINES & ATTACHMTS |
| an engraved letter to replace the word No. on the plunger | ||
| VERB | letter space . . . 1 | LAYOUT AND DESIGN |
| add space between letters: needed for loose justified lines: may be automatic | ||
| VERB | letter space . . . 2 | LETTERPRESS COMPOSING |
| use thin or hair spaces between letters usu in one word to avoid big word spaces | ||
| VERB | letter space . . . 3 | COLD TYPE COMPOSITION |
| can be very small increm along whole line, not possible with L/P; like tracking | ||
| NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE | letterpress | PRINTING, ANY PROCESS |
| name of traditional printing process: inked letters pressed into paper | ||
| NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE | letterset | PRINTING, ANY PROCESS |
| letterpress offset:right reading relief plate prints to blanket then to paper | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | ligature . . . . . 1 | CHARACTERS |
| two or more charac made as one type or glyph: often kerned pairslike ff, fi | ||
| MISCONCEPTION / INAPPROP TERM | ligature . . . . . 2 | CHARACTERS |
| NOT the letter combinations AE and OE: these are diphthongs, separate characters | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | line block | IMAGES, HALFTONES |
| engraved image with solids only: no halftones | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | line gauge | LETTERPRESS COMPOSING |
| ruler used by LP comps, calib in picas (and other units): usu with hook end | ||
| NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE | lines per inch | IMAGES, HALFTONES |
| measure of fineness of halftone screen: 60 lpi very coarse: 150 very fine | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | lineup table . . . 1 | LETTERPRESS COMPOSING |
| metal table with rolling, calibrated guides for exact positioning of items | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | lineup table . . . 2 | PRE PRESS, COMPUTER LAYOUT |
| glass top table with lights to prepare and check pasteups and negs | ||
| NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE | lining figures | CHARACTERS |
| numerals all sized like capitals: also called modern figures: see old style figs | ||
| BRAND NAME | Linotronic | COLD TYPE COMPOSITION |
| phototypesetting output machine from Linotype company | ||
| BRAND NAME | Linotype | LINOTYPE/INTERTYPE LINECASTER |
| typesetting machine which casts whole lines, from matrices asembled by keyboard | ||
| NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE | lithography | PRINTING, ANY PROCESS |
| printing from stone or plate, imaged with a medium which attracts oil-based ink | ||
| ABBREVIATION | logo | CHARACTERS |
| logotype | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | logotype | CHARACTERS |
| word cast as a single type: later included trade symbols etc | ||
| ADJECTIVE | long grain | PAPER SPECIFICATIONS |
| sheets cut so that the long dimension is along the grain direction | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | low apostrophe | CHARACTERS |
| an alternative apostrophe cast lower to align with x-height letters: not common | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | low space | LETTERPRESS COMPOSING |
| normal handset space: top of body is well below type shoulder: see high space | ||
| NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE | lower case . . . . 1 | LETTERPRESS COMPOSING |
| the lower, or frontmost of a pair of cases, holding most used characters | ||
| NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE | lower case . . . . 2 | CHARACTERS |
| miniscule characters, often simplistically called small letters | ||
| ABBREVIATION | LP | PRINTING, ANY PROCESS |
| letterpress [also long playing, for a 500 year industrial process] | ||
| BRAND NAME | Ludlow | LUDLOW TYPOGRAPH SYSTEM |
| typesetting machine which casts whole lines from matrices assembled by hand | ||
| ADJECTIVE | machine glazed | PAPER SPECIFICATIONS |
| paper with calendered finish on one side only | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | macron | CHARACTERS |
| diacritic above letter, usu vowel, to indicate longer sound or syllabic stress (straight bar) | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | magazine | LINOTYPE/INTERTYPE LINECASTER |
| trapezoidal storage case for mats of one face and size, mounts on top of Lino | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | magazine entrance | LINOTYPE/INTERTYPE LINECASTER |
| box-shaped unit with internal plates to guide mats as they fall off disser bar, into channels | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | magazine rack | LINOTYPE/INTERTYPE LINECASTER |
| rack to hold mags vertical while off the machine: usu has rollers under mags | ||
| NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE | magnetic ink | PRINTING, ANY PROCESS |
| ink containing magnetic particles: used with MICR type to be read magnetically | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | majuscule | CHARACTERS |
| early term for capital letters: of greater proportions | ||
| VERB | make ready | PRINTING, ANY PROCESS |
| get job to print perfectly after mounting plate or type on press | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | mallet | LETTERPRESS COMPOSING |
| wooden or rawhide hammer: used with planer and with shooting stick | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | manuscript | WORKFLOW |
| original written or typewritten work of an author | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | margin | LAYOUT AND DESIGN |
| white space between text block and page edge, or between text blocks | ||
| VERB | mark up | WORKFLOW |
| prepare copy for compositor with detailed instructions | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | mask . . . . . . . 1 | PRE PRESS, COMPUTER LAYOUT |
| opaque material (paper, tape, paint) to block off area of negative | ||
| VERB | mask . . . . . . . 2 | PRE PRESS, COMPUTER LAYOUT |
| use opaque material on negative, making that area print as white | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | matrices | TYPE CASTING |
| this is the plural of matrix: often abb to mats | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | matrix . . . . . . 1 | TYPE CASTING |
| metal block with shape of character indented into a flat side | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | matrix . . . . . . 2 | STEREOTYPING, RUBBER STAMPS |
| sheet of material with impression of typeset in it, usu moulded under pressure | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | matrix . . . . . . 3 | LINOTYPE/INTERTYPE LINECASTER |
| brass block or slip carrying letter cavity on one edge: mats are assembled into words and lines | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | matrix cabinet | LUDLOW TYPOGRAPH SYSTEM |
| cabinets usu hold 20 cases, 1 space case and 1 tool drawer: LH or RH cabinet | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | matrix case | LUDLOW TYPOGRAPH SYSTEM |
| like a typecase but for Ludlow mats: usu double caps layout: kept at an angle | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | matrix teeth | LINOTYPE/INTERTYPE LINECASTER |
| top edge of matrix carries combination teeth allowing each mat to drop back into correct channel | ||
| NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE | matt art | PAPER SPECIFICATIONS |
| art paper (smoothed surface) but not glossy | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | measure . . . . . 1 | LETTERPRESS COMPOSING |
| length of lines: stick is set to this: every line must make the measure | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | measure . . . . . 2 | LAYOUT AND DESIGN |
| width of a text block | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | mechanical [US] | PRE PRESS, COMPUTER LAYOUT |
| camera-ready assembly of type and other images [for mechanical reproduction] | ||
| ADJECTIVE | metal mounted | IMAGES, HALFTONES |
| (of a block) mounted on solid metal usu typemetal or aluminium rather than wood, for hot printing | ||
| ABBREVIATION | MG | PAPER SPECIFICATIONS |
| machine glazed | ||
| ABBREVIATION | MICR | CHARACTERS |
| magnetic ink character recognition [system used on bank cheques etc] | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | mid (middle) space | LETTERPRESS COMPOSING |
| a word space equal to one-quarter of the em [US: 4-to-em space] | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | minuscule | CHARACTERS |
| early term for non-capital letters: of smaller proportions | ||
| ADJECTIVE | modern | TYPE FACE DESIGNS |
| type style with straight serifs and vertical shading | ||
| EQUIVALENT TERM | modern figures | CHARACTERS |
| same as lining figures | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | Moire pattern[moray] | IMAGES, HALFTONES |
| pattern appearing in image due to interference between two similar patterns | ||
| BRAND NAME | Monophoto | COLD TYPE COMPOSITION |
| mechanical phototypesetter by Monotype Corp, mimicking Monotype composition caster | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | monoprint | PRINTMAKING (FINE ART) |
| where an artist paints in reverse onto impervious sheet and makes a single print from it | ||
| ADJECTIVE | monospaced | TYPE FACE DESIGNS |
| face in which all characters occupy the same set-width, as typewriter faces | ||
| BRAND NAME | Monotype . . . . . 1 | MONOTYPE COMPOSITION CASTER |
| orig hot metal typesetting system, later many typesetters and prepress equipment | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | Monotype . . . . . 2 | MONOTYPE COMPOSITION CASTER |
| typesetting system: produces individual characters composed and justified | ||
| EQUIVALENT TERM | monotype . . . . . 3 | PRINTMAKING (FINE ART) |
| term for monoprint: conflicts with Monotype typecasting | ||
| BRAND NAME | Morisawa | COLD TYPE COMPOSITION |
| hand op phototypesetter using negative strip founts | ||
| NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE | mottle | PRINTING, ANY PROCESS |
| uneven effects on image esp large solids, due uneven inking or absorbtion | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | mould wheel. . . . 1 | LINOTYPE/INTERTYPE LINECASTER |
| wheel carries the mould in use from rest to casting to backtrimming to ejection/rest positions | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | mould wheel. . . . 2 | LINOTYPE/INTERTYPE LINECASTER |
| the wheel carries 4 or 6 moulds, one of which is selected for use at any time | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | mould [US mold] .. 1 | TYPE CASTING |
| casting device which gives shape and size to body of type (but not character) | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | mould [US mold] .. 2 | LINOTYPE/INTERTYPE LINECASTER |
| cavity giving shape of slug: mats go in front, mouthpiece behind | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | mould [US mold] .. 3 | LUDLOW TYPOGRAPH SYSTEM |
| fixed-size cavity in water-cooled block: mats clamp to top, mouthpiece to bottom | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | mould [US mold] .. 4 | MONOTYPE COMPOSITION CASTER |
| fixed size pointwise but variable set-wise for various letters | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | mounting block | LETTERPRESS COMPOSING |
| block of any material for mounting engravings or steroetypes to type height | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | mouthpiece wiper | LUDLOW TYPOGRAPH SYSTEM |
| a consumable oiled felt wipes the metal mouthpiece after each cast | ||
| ABBREVIATION | MS [ plural mss. ] | WORKFLOW |
| manuscript | ||
| BRAND NAME | Multigraph | OFFICE SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT |
| a printing/overprinting system for office use until about 1980: see AM CORP | ||
| NOUN, UNCOUNTABLE | multigraph type | TYPE CASTING |
| handset type on t-footed body, specially made for Multigraph system | ||
| NOUN, COUNTABLE | mutton | LETTERPRESS COMPOSING |
| guard word for 'em', to distinguish from 'en': see nut | ||
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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