Best Comprehensive Guide To The Anatomy Of Type

We as designers have to have some passion for typography. Here is the best comprehensive guide that will make you better understand typography - Enjoy

Beak

A sharp spur, found particularly at the top of letters in some 20th centry Romans. Definition: A beak is a type of decorative stroke at the end of the arm of a letter, connected to the arm by the terminal. Similar to a spur or serif, it is usually more pronounced.

Bilateral Serifs

A serif extending to both sides of a main stroke. They are reflexive.

Body Height

The complete area covered by all of the characters in a font. In typography, the body height refers to the distance between the top of the tallest letterform to the bottom of the lowest one.

Bowl

The fully closed, rounded part of a letter. Definition: In typography, the curved part of the character that encloses the circular or curved parts (counter) of some letters such as d, b, o, D, and B is the bowl. Some sources call any parts of a letter enclosing a space a bowl, including both parts...

Bracket

A curved or wedge-like connection between the stem and serif of some fonts. Not all serifs are bracketed serifs. Definition: The bracket is a curved or wedge-like connection between the stem and serif of some fonts. Not all serifs are bracketed serifs. Brackets can have different shapes with deep or gentle curves. Brackets may taper...

Cap Height

The height of a capital letter measured from the baseline. In typography, cap height refers to the height of a capital letter above the baseline for a particular typeface. It specifically refers to the height of capital letters that are flat—such as H or I—as opposed to round letters such as O, or pointed letters...

Cap Line

A line marking the height of uppercase letters within a font.

Counter

The open space in a fully or partly closed area within a letter. Definition: In typography, the enclosed or partially enclosed circular or curved negative space (white space) of some letters such as d, o, and s is the counter. The term counter may sometimes be used to refer only to closed space, while partially...

Cross Stroke

A horizontal stroke that intersects the stem of a lowercase t or f. Definition: The horizontal stroke across the stem of a lowercase t or f is a cross stroke. Although often used interchangeably, the cross stroke differs from an arm and a crossbar because it intersects/crosses over the stem. The varying positioning, thickness, and...

Crossbar

The horizontal stroke in letters. Also known as a Bar. Definition: The (usually) horizontal stroke across the middle of uppercase A and H is a crossbar. The horizontal or sloping stroke enclosing the bottom of the eye of an e is also a crossbar. Although often used interchangeably, the crossbar differs from an arm and...

Crotch

An acute, inside angle where two strokes meet.

Descender

The part of the letters that extends below the baseline. Definition: The portion of some lowercase letters, such as g and y, that extends or descends below the baseline is the descender. The length and shape of the descender can affect readability of lines of type and is an identifying factor for some typefaces. The...

Descender Line

The invisible line marking the lowest point of the descenders within a font.

Descent Line

The invisible line marking the farthest distance between the baseline and the bottom of the glyph.

Diacritic

A ancillary mark or sign added to a letter. Definition: Diacriticals are the accent marks used on some characters to denote a specific pronounciation. Rare in English, they are a common occurrence in French, German, Italian, Spanish, and other languages. Some of the more commonly seen diacriticals include acute, cedilla, circumflex, grave, tilde, and umlaut....

Diagonal Stroke

An angled stroke.

Dot

A small distinguishing mark, such as an diacritic on a lowercase i or j. Also known as a Tittle. When used as a diacritic mark, the term dot is usually reserved for the Interpunct ( · ), or to the glyphs ‘combining dot above’ ( ̇ ) and ‘combining dot below’ ( ̣ ) which...

Ear

A small stroke extending from the upper-right side of the bowl of lowercase g; also appears in the angled or curved lowercase r. Definition: Typically found on the lower case g, an ear is a decorative flourish usually on the upper right side of the bowl. Similar to a serif, the ear can be a...

Eye

Much like a counter, the eye refers specifically to the enclosed space in a lowercase ‘e’. Definition: Much like a counter, the eye refers specifically to the enclosed space in a lowercase e. Also Known As: counter

Finial

A tapered or curved end. Definition: The part of a letter known as a finial is usually a somewhat tapered curved end on letters such as the bottom of C or e or the top of a double-storey a. Another definition for finial is a swash or ornamental flourish, much like an extended serif, ascender,...

Flag

The horizontal stroke present on the numeral 5.

Hairline

A thin stroke usually common to serif typefaces. Definition: In typeface anatomy, a hairline is the thinnest stroke found in a specific typeface that consists of strokes of varying widths. Hairline is often used to refer to a hairline rule, the thinnest graphic rule (line) printable on a specific output device. Hair or hairline is...

Hook

A curved, protruding stroke in a terminal. Usually found on a lowercase f. something curved or bent like a hook

Italics

A cursive alphabet which is matched with a roman font and used along chiefly for emphasis. Definition: While roman typefaces are upright, italic typefaces slant to the right. But rather than being just a slanted or tilted version of the roman face, a true or pure italic font is drawn from scratch and has unique...

Leg

Short, descending portion of a letter. Definition: The lower, down sloping stroke of the K and k is called a leg. The same stroke on R as well as the tail of a Q is sometimes also called a leg. Also Known As: tail A branch or part of an object or system.

Ligature

Two or more letters are joined together to form one glyph or character. Definition: Two or more letters combined into one character make a ligature. In typography some ligatures represent specific sounds or words such as the AE or æ diphthong ligature. Other ligatures are primarily to make type more attractive on the page such...

Link

A stroke that connects the top and bottom bowls of lowercase double-story g’s. Definition: In typeface anatomy, the link is that small, usually curved stroke that connects the bowl and loop of a double-storey g. Also Known As: neck, terminal A connecting element or factor.

Lobe

A rounded projecting stoke attached to the main structure of a letter. A curved or rounded projection or division.

Loop

The enclosed or partially enclosed counter below the baseline of a double-story g. Definition: In a double-storey g, the loop is the enclosed or partially enclosed counter below the baseline that is connected to the bowl by a link. The enclosed or partially enclosed extenders on cursive p, b, l, and similiar letters are also...

Lowercase

The smaller form of letters in a typeface. Definition: The little letters or non-capital letters of the alphabet are lowercase glyphs. They make up the bulk of written text, with uppercase or capital letters used primarily only to start sentences or proper names. The term lowercase is derived from the days of metal type where...

Mean Line

Imaginary line running along the top of non-ascending, lowercase letters. The meanline falls at the top of many lowercase letters such as “e,” “g” and “y.” It is also at the curve of letters like “h.” In typography, the mean line, also (and more simply) known as midline, is the line that determines where non-ascending...

Old-Style Figures

Numbers with varying heights, some aligning to the baseline and some below. Definition: Style of Arabic Numerals where the characters appear at different positions and heights as opposed to the modern style of all numerals at the same size and position are called Old Style Figures. Some Old Style figures sit entirely above the baseline...

Open Counter

The partially open space within a character that is open on one end.

Overshoot

Ascenders extending into the space of a following character. In typeface design, the overshoot of a round or pointed capital letter (like O or A) is the degree to which it extends higher or lower than a comparably sized “flat” letter (like X or H), to achieve an optical effect of being the same size....

Quaint

An antiquated sort or glyph, used to recreate the typographic flavor of a bygone age. marked by skillful design marked by beauty or elegance unusual or different in character or appearance pleasingly or strikingly old-fashioned or unfamiliar

Serif

A stroke added as a stop to the beginning and end of the main strokes of a character. Definition: In typography, a serif is the little extra stroke found at the end of main vertical and horizontal strokes of some letterforms. Serifs fall into various groups and can be generally described as hairline (hair), square...

Shoulder

The curved stroke aiming downward from a stem. The curve at the beginning of a leg of a character, such as in an “m.”

Spine

The main curved stroke of a lowercase or capital S. Definition: The spine is the main left to right curving stroke in S and s. The spine may be almost vertical or mostly horizontal, depending on the typeface. Beyond typography, a spine is specific type of a mathematical curve and the tool used for drawing...

Spur

A small projection off a main stroke.

Stem

Vertical, full-length stroke in upright characters. Definition: The stem is the main, usually vertical stroke of a letterform. Also Known As: stroke A main or heavy stroke of a letter.

Stroke

A straight or curved diagonal line. Definition: 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...

Swash

A flourish addition replacing a terminal or serif. A swash is a typographical flourish on a glyph, like an exaggerated serif. Capital swash characters, which extended to the left, were historically often used to begin sentences. There were also minuscule swash characters, which came either extending to the left, to begin words, or to the...

Tail

A descending stroke, often decorative. Definition: In typography, the descending, often decorative stroke on the letter Q or the descending, often curved diagonal stroke on K or R is the tail. The descender on g, j, p, q, and y are also called tails. The back, last, lower, or inferior part of something.

Teardrop Terminal

The teardropped ends of strokes in letters of some typefaces.

Terminal

The end of a stroke that does not include a serif. Definition: In typography, the terminal is a type of curve. Many sources consider a terminal to be just the end (straight or curved) of any stroke that doesn’t include a serif (which can include serif fonts, such as the little stroke at the end...

Tittle

A small distinguishing mark, such as an diacritic on a lowercase i or j. Also known as a Dot. A point or small sign used as a diacritical mark in writing or printing.

Uppercase

A letter or group of letters of the size and form generally used to begin sentences and proper nouns. Also known as “capital letters”. Definition: The capital letters of the alphabet are uppercase glyphs. Uppercase letters are normally used at the beginning of sentences and as the first letter of proper names. The term uppercase...

Vertex

The outside point at the bottom or top of a character where two strokes meet. A point (as of an angle, polygon, polyhedron, graph, or network) that terminates a line or curve or comprises the intersection of two or more lines or curves.

X-Height

The height of lowercase letters reach based on height of lowercase x; does not include ascenders or descenders. Definition: In typography, x-height is the distance between the baseline of a line of type and tops of the main body of lower case letters (i.e. excluding ascenders or descenders). The x-height is a factor in typeface......

Don’t forget to subscribe to our RSS-feed and follow us on Twitter and Facebook for recent updates.