• A/W – An abbreviation for Artwork.
• Acetate – A transparent sheet used over artwork that allows the artist to add instructions or indicate the placement of a second color. (See Overlay)
• Addendum – Supplementary material printed separately at the beginning or end of a book, in addition to the main text.
• Air (US) – The amount of white space incorporated into a layout.
• Airbrush – A mechanical painting tool that sprays paint using compressed air, producing an adjustable spray; commonly used in illustration and photographic retouching.
• Align – The process of arranging typeset text or graphic elements along a base or vertical reference line as specified.
• Alphabet (Length or Width) – The measurement of a full set of lowercase alphabet characters at a given type size, expressed in points or picas.
• Anodized Plate – An offset printing plate with a specially treated surface to minimize wear and extend durability during printing.
• Apex – The point where two lines meet at the top of a character, such as the peak of the letter A.
• Apron (US) – Extra white space added to margins of text and illustrations to accommodate foldout pages.
• Art Paper – Smooth coated paper produced by applying a layer of china clay compound on one or both sides.
• Art (US) – In graphic arts, it refers to all non-textual content, such as illustrations and photographs.
• Ascender – The portion of a lowercase letter that extends above the x-height, e.g., the upper part of letters like b or h.
• Author’s Corrections – Revisions made by an author to the text after typesetting, excluding corrections for input errors.

• Backing Up – Printing on the second side of a previously printed sheet.
• Backslant – Letters that slant opposite to italic characters.
• Balloon – A circle or bubble enclosing text within an illustration, commonly used in cartoons.
• Bank – A lightweight writing paper.
• Banner – A large headline or title stretching across the entire width of a page.
• Base artwork – Artwork that requires additional elements like halftones or line drawings to be added before reproduction.
• Baseline – The line on which the bases of capital letters rest.
• Bed – The base that holds the Forme during letterpress printing.
• Binding – Methods used to secure loose leaves or sections of a book; examples include saddle-stitch and perfect binding.
• Black Patch – Material used to mask window areas on a negative image before inserting (stripping in) a halftone.
• Blanket Cylinder – The cylinder in lithographic printing that transfers the inked image from the plate to the paper, covered with a rubber sheet to protect the litho plate.
• Bleed – Layout elements, such as type or images, that extend beyond the trim marks to the edge of the paper. Images that run off the page edges are called “bled off.”
• Blind Emboss – A raised impression made on paper without the use of ink or foil.
• Block In – Sketching the main areas of an image during the initial design phase.
• Blow Up – An enlargement of a graphic image or photograph.
• Blurb – A brief description or commentary about a book or author, usually found on a book jacket.
• Board – Paper with a weight greater than 200 gsm.
• Body (US) – The main text of a publication, excluding headlines and other display typography.
• Body Size – The height of type measured from the top of the tallest ascender to the bottom of the lowest descender, typically expressed in points.
• Bold Type – Typeface with a heavier and darker appearance; most typefaces include a bold version.
• Bond – A-sized, finished writing paper weighing 50 gsm or more, suitable for writing and printing.
• Border – A continuous decorative line or design that frames the content on a page.
• Box – A separate section of text delineated by rules or white space, set apart from the main text and illustrations; longer boxes in magazines are often called sidebars.
• Bristol board – A smooth, fine-quality board available in various grades, used for drawing.
• Broadside – Originally, a printed sheet with content on one side only.
• Bromide – A photographic print made on bromide paper.
• Bronzing – A finishing effect created by dusting wet ink with a metallic powder.
• Bullet – A large dot used to introduce or emphasize items in a list.

• Calendered Finish – A very smooth paper surface created by passing the paper through a series of metal rollers.
• Caliper – The thickness of a sheet of paper or board, measured in microns (millionths of a meter); also refers to the tool used to measure this thickness.
• Camera-Ready – Artwork or pasted-up material that is fully prepared and ready for reproduction.
• Cap Line – An imaginary line running across the tops of capital letters; the distance between the cap line and baseline defines the cap size.
• Caps – An abbreviation for capital letters.
• Caps and Small Caps – A typographic style where normal capital letters are used alongside slightly smaller capital letters for the body text.
• Caption – Text that identifies or explains a picture or illustration.
• Carbonless – Paper coated with chemicals and dyes to produce copies without the use of carbon paper; also known as NCR (No Carbon Required).
• Caret Marks – Proofreading marks indicating an insertion is needed in the copy, often shown as (^).
• Cartridge – A thick, versatile paper used for printing, drawing, and wrapping.
• Case Bound – A hardback book with stiff outer covers typically covered in cloth, vinyl, or leather.
• Cast Off – A calculation to estimate the length of space required by a piece of copy when typeset.
• Cast-Coated – Art paper with an exceptionally glossy coating, usually applied to one side only.
• Catchline – A temporary headline placed at the top of a galley proof for identification.
• Century Schoolbook – A popular serif typeface with a large x-height and open appearance, commonly used in magazines and books.
• Chalking – A powdery residue left on paper when ink fails to dry properly due to printing faults.
• Character Count – The total number of characters in a piece of copy, including letters, numbers, symbols, and spaces, used for type calculations.
• Chase – A metal frame used to lock metal type and blocks in place for composing a printing page.
• Close Up – A proof correction mark indicating that the space between letters or words should be reduced, shown as (‘).
• Coated – Printing paper finished with a surface coating like clay to create a smoother, more even finish with higher opacity.
• Cold Type – Type created without casting molten metal characters, such as digital or video display unit (VDU) generated type.
• Collate – To gather and arrange the pages or sections of a book in the correct sequence for binding.
• Color Separations – The process of dividing a multi-colored original into the primary printing process colors: yellow, magenta, cyan, and black (not to be confused with optical primaries red, green, and blue).
• Column Inch – A measurement used by newspapers and magazines to calculate advertising costs; one column wide by one inch deep.
• Column Rule – A thin vertical line used to separate columns of text.
• Compose – To set text or copy into type.
• Concertina Fold – A folding method where each fold opens in the opposite direction from the previous one, creating a pleated, accordion-like effect.
• Condensed – A typeface style characterized by narrower, vertically elongated characters.
• Continuous Tone – An image featuring continuous gradations of color or gray without visible dots. Such images must be converted into screened dots for printing.
• Contrast – The range of tonal values in a photograph, from highlights to shadows.
• Copyright – The legal right granted to the creator to protect original material from unauthorized use without permission or proper credit.
• Corner Marks – Printed marks on a sheet indicating where trimming should occur; often used as register or trim guides.
• Cropping – Removing unwanted parts of a photograph or original image to focus on or enlarge the necessary section.
• Cross Head – A subheading set within body text to divide content into readable sections.
• Cursive – Typefaces designed to resemble handwritten script.
• Cut Flush – Trimming a book after the cover is attached, so all edges are even and smooth.
• Cutout – A halftone image where the background is removed, creating a silhouette effect.

• Dagger & Double Dagger – Symbols primarily used as reference marks for footnotes.
• Dash – A short horizontal line used as punctuation.
• Descender – The portion of a lowercase letter that extends below the baseline, as seen in letters like “y” and “j”.
• Die – A hardened steel-engraved stamp used to print an inked image, commonly employed in producing high-quality letterheads.
• Disk – Magnetic storage media used to store digital information.
• Disk Operating System (DOS) – Software that manages computer systems with disk drives by supervising and controlling program execution. The operating system is loaded (“booted”) into the computer from disk via a small program stored permanently in memory. Common operating systems include MS-DOS, PC-DOS (IBM’s version of MS-DOS), CP/M (for older 8-bit computers), Unix, BOS, and Mac OS for Macintosh computers.
• Display Type – Large-sized type, generally 18 points or larger, used for headings and titles.
• Dot Matrix Printer – A printer that forms characters by striking a matrix of dots. Most use impact technology, where wires hit an inked ribbon to create dots on the page; thermal and electro-erosion variants also exist.
• Double Density – A floppy disk recording method that utilizes modified frequency modulation to store more data than standard density disks.
• Double Page Spread (DPS) – Two facing pages in a newspaper or magazine where content continues seamlessly from the left page to the right.
• Downloadable Fonts – Typeface files stored on disk that can be downloaded to printers when needed. These are typically bitmapped fonts with fixed sizes and styles.
• DPI (Dots per Inch) – A unit measuring the resolution of page printers, phototypesetting machines, and graphics displays. Typical graphics screens range from 60 to 100 dpi; page printers commonly operate at 300 dpi, while professional typesetting systems may use 1,000 dpi or higher.
• Drawn On – A binding method where a paper cover is glued and wrapped around the back of a book block.
• Drop Cap – A large initial letter at the beginning of a paragraph that descends into the lines below.
• Dry Transfer (Lettering) – Pre-printed characters or drawings transferred onto artwork by rubbing them off the back of a special sheet. Letraset is a well-known manufacturer of such products.
• Dye Transfer – A photographic color printing process using specially coated papers to produce full-color images, often used as an economical proofing method.

• EGA (Enhanced Graphics Adapter) – A PC graphics standard that can be built into or added to a system, providing sharper characters and enhanced color capabilities with compatible display devices. Standard EGA resolution is 640 by 350 pixels, supporting any 16 of 64 available colors.
• Egyptian – A style of typeface characterized by square serifs and nearly uniform stroke thickness.
• Eight sheet – A large poster measuring 60 x 80 inches (153 x 203 cm), traditionally composed of eight individual sheets assembled together.
• Electronic Publishing – The distribution of information stored, transmitted, and reproduced electronically. Examples include Teletext and Videotext, which deliver content without paper. Desktop publishing is one segment within the broader electronic publishing field.
• Em – A square unit in typography with each side equal to the current point size. Named after the letter “M,” which was originally as wide as the type size.
• Em Dash – A punctuation dash equal in length to one em.
• Embossing – A process that creates raised (relief) images on a surface using a recessed die.
• En Dash – A punctuation dash approximately half the width of an em dash.
• En – A typographic unit of measure equivalent to half the width of an em.
• Endpapers – The four pages at the beginning and end of a book, glued to the inside of the front and back covers (boards).
• Epson Emulation – The industry standard printer control codes developed by Epson for dot matrix printers. Most software packages and dot matrix printers support or improve upon these codes.
• Exception Dictionary – In word processing or desktop publishing, a stored list of pre-hyphenated words that do not follow standard hyphenation and justification rules. Some programs, such as PageMaker, rely solely on an exception dictionary.
• Expanded Type – A typeface with characters that have a slightly wider body, producing a flatter visual effect.
• Express – A printer control language developed by OASYS.

• Face – An abbreviation of typeface, referring to a family of fonts in a particular style.
• Filler – Additional material of minor importance used to complete a column or page.
• Flag – The designed title or banner of a newspaper, typically displayed at the top of the front page.
• Flexography – A rotary letterpress printing process that uses rubber or flexible plates and fast-drying inks, primarily employed in packaging production.
• Floating Accent – An accent mark set separately from the main character and positioned above or below it.
• Floppy Disk – (See Disk)
• Flush Left – Text aligned evenly along the left margin.
• Flush Right – Text aligned evenly along the right margin.
• Flyer – An inexpensive printed circular used for promotional purposes and distribution.
• Foil Blocking – A stamping process that transfers a colored foil onto a book cover or other surfaces using a heated die or block, without applying ink.
• Font (or Fount) – A complete set of characters in a specific typeface.
• Form Letter – In word processing, a repetitive letter where names and addresses are automatically inserted from a database or typed individually.
• Forme – The assembled type and blocks arranged in pages and locked into a metal chase, ready for printing.
• Four Color Process – A full-color printing method using four color separation negatives: yellow, magenta, cyan, and black.
• French Fold – A sheet printed on one side only and folded twice at right angles to form a four-page, uncut section.
• Full Measure – A line of text set to fill the entire line length or measure.
• Full Point – Another term for a full stop or period.

• Galley Proof – A proof taken from the galleys before the pages are fully composed.
• Galleys – Long metal trays used in printing to hold typeset text before it is imposed into pages.
• Gatefold – An oversized page that folds inward from both sides into the gutter, often used to include maps in books.
• Gathering – The process of assembling printed pages, sections, or signatures in correct order for binding.
• GEM – Graphics Environment Manager by Digital Research; a graphical interface designed to simplify software operation and enable communication between programs. Desktop publishing software, such as Ventura and GEM Desktop Publisher run in this environment.
• Gloss Ink – Ink formulated for lithographic and letterpress printing on coated papers that dries without penetrating the surface, producing a glossy finish.
• Golden Ratio – A proportional guideline for height-to-width relationships in layout design, aimed at creating visually pleasing text and illustration arrangements.
• Gothic – Typeface styles characterized by the absence of serifs and broad, even strokes.
• Gravure – A rotary printing process where the image is etched into a metal cylinder. The cylinder is inked by passing through an ink trough, wiped clean so that only the etched areas hold ink, then pressed against paper to transfer the image by absorption.
• Greeking – A software technique where areas of grey simulate lines of text. Used in desktop publishing to speed up display rendering on low-resolution or slow systems.
• Grey Scale – A range of luminance values from white to black used to evaluate shading. Commonly discussed in relation to scanners’ ability to capture halftone images—the more levels, the better the image quality, although it requires more memory.
• Grid – A systematic page division into units that help designers maintain layout consistency by providing guidelines for text, images, and trim areas.
• GSM – Grams per square meter; the unit of measurement for paper weight.
• Guard – A narrow strip of paper or linen glued to a single leaf to facilitate sewing it into a binding section.
• Gutter – The inner margin or blank space between facing pages in a book or magazine.

• Hairline Rule – The thinnest printable line (rule) in printing.
• Hairlines – The finest strokes within a typeface.
• Half Up – Artwork created at one and a half times the size of its intended reproduction.
• Halftone – An illustration reproduced by converting continuous tones into a pattern of dots varying in size; lighter areas have smaller dots, while darker or shadowed areas have larger dots.
• Halftone Screen – A glass plate or film placed between the original photograph and the exposing film that contains a network of parallel lines. The number of lines per inch determines the fineness of the dot pattern, and selection depends on the printing process and paper quality. Higher-quality output uses finer screens with more lines per inch.
• Hanging Punctuation – Punctuation marks positioned outside the text margin to maintain optical alignment within the text block.
• Hard Disk – A rigid magnetic disk sealed inside an airtight enclosure, offering faster data access and greater storage capacity than floppy disks. Also known as Winchester disks.
• Hardback – A case-bound book with separate stiff board covers.
• Head – The top margin of a page.
• Helvetica – A widely used sans serif typeface known for its clean, modern appearance.
• Hickies – Dark spots surrounded by halos on printed sheets caused by dust particles adhering to printing plates or blankets during the printing process.
• Highlight – The lightest areas in a photograph or illustration.
• House Style – The consistent set of preferences for spelling, punctuation, hyphenation, and indentation adopted by a publishing house or publication to ensure uniform typesetting.

• Icons – Graphical images on a screen representing utilities, files, folders, or applications, often activated by a pointer controlled with a mouse or trackball.
• Imposition – The arrangement of pages on a printed sheet so that, after printing on both sides, folding, and trimming, the pages appear in proper sequence.
• imPRESS – A page description language developed by Imagen, supported by over 60 software packages, including Crystal, TeX, Superpage, and AutoCAD. It is considered the first commercially available PDL.
• Impression Cylinder – The cylinder in a printing press that presses the paper against the printing plate or blanket cylinder to transfer ink.
• Imprint – Legally required publication details, including the name and place of the publisher and printer, often accompanied by print quantity, date, and internal control codes.
• Insert – An instruction for the printer to include additional copy or material.
• Interface – The hardware or circuit that manages data flow between a computer and its peripheral devices.
• International Paper Sizes – The ISO standardized paper sizes are categorized into series A, B, and C. Series A is used for general printing and stationery, B for posters, and C for envelopes.
• Interpress – Xerox Corporation’s pioneering page description language; however, it has yet to be widely adopted commercially by third parties.
• ISBN – International Standard Book Number, a unique reference number assigned to every published book, usually found on the back of the title page.
• Italic – A style of type with letters slanting to the right.
• Ivory Board – A smooth, bright white board often used for business cards and similar applications.

• Justify – The alignment of text along one margin or both margins, achieved by adjusting spacing between words and characters so that each line ends uniformly.

• K (Kilobyte) – A unit of digital information equal to 1024 bytes (binary 1000).
• Keep Standing – The practice of retaining type or printing plates ready for reprints.
• Kerning – The adjustment of space between specific pairs of letters (e.g., A and V) to create a visually balanced and pleasing appearance. Not all desktop publishing (DTP) systems support kerning.
• Keyline – An outline drawn or set on artwork indicating the exact size and position of an illustration or halftone.
• Kraft Paper – A strong, brown paper typically used for packaging.

• Laid – Paper featuring a watermark pattern made by wire marks during its manufacturing, often used for high-quality stationery.
• Laminate – A thin, transparent plastic coating applied to paper or board to protect the surface and provide a glossy finish.
• Landscape – An orientation where the width exceeds the height; also describes tables or illustrations printed “sideways.” (See Portrait)
• Laser Printer – A high-quality printing device that uses a laser beam to create an image on a photosensitive drum, which is then transferred to paper via xerographic printing. Typical resolution starts at 300 dpi, with newer models reaching up to 600 dpi. (See also: Page Printer)
• Lateral Reversal – An image reversed left-to-right, like a mirror image of the original, applied to either positive or negative images.
• Layout – A sketch or plan of a printed page showing the placement of text and illustrations, with general instructions for production.
• Lead or Leading – Vertical space added between lines of type to improve readability and visual separation. Measured in points or fractions thereof, the term originates from strips of lead historically inserted between lines of metal type.
• Legend – Descriptive text below an illustration, commonly known as a caption; can also refer to explanations of symbols used in maps or timetables.
• Letraset – A proprietary name for dry transfer or rub-down lettering used in preparing artwork.
• Letterpress – A relief printing process where a raised image is inked and then pressed onto paper to produce an impression.
• Letterset – A hybrid printing process combining offset printing with a letterpress relief printing plate.
• Letter Spacing – The addition of space between letters within words to extend line length or improve visual appearance.
• Library Picture – An image sourced from an existing collection (library) rather than specially commissioned.
• Ligature – Two or more letters combined into a single typographic character, such as “oe” or “fi.”
• Lightface – A typeface variant with finer strokes than the medium or regular weight, less commonly used than medium.
• Line Block – A letterpress printing plate consisting of solid areas and lines, without tonal gradations.
• Line Gauge – A metal ruler used by printers, typically divided into picas. Standard length is 72 picas (about 11.952 inches).
• Linen Tester – A specialized magnifying glass for examining the dot pattern in halftone images.
• Lineup Table – An illuminated work surface used to prepare and check the alignment of page layouts and paste-ups.
• Lining Figures – Numerals designed to align both on the baseline and at the height of uppercase letters.
• Linotype – Manufacturer of high-resolution phototypesetting machines (e.g., models 100, 202, 300, 500). Some series can process PostScript files via an external RIP and direct desktop publishing files at resolutions of 1270 dpi and higher.
• Lithography – A printing method based on oil and water repulsion; the photographically prepared plate is chemically treated so the image accepts ink while non-image areas repel it.
• Logo – Short for logotype; a word or group of letters treated as a single graphic unit, often styled uniquely as part of a company’s corporate image.
• Loose Leaf – A binding technique allowing pages to be inserted or removed easily for ongoing updating.
• Lower Case – The small letters of a font, as opposed to uppercase or capitals.

• M (Megabyte) – One million bytes of digital information.
• Machine-Glazed (MG) – Paper with a high-gloss finish on one side only.
• Macro – A stored sequence of instructions or commands that would normally be entered individually via the keyboard, but can be executed automatically with a single keystroke to control a program.
• Magnetic Ink – Ink containing magnetic particles, readable both by humans and electronic machines; commonly used in printing checks.
• Make-Up – The assembly of all components (text, images, etc.) to form the final printed image.
• Making Ready – The process of adjusting the printing surface, including packing under the forme or around the impression cylinder, to achieve the correct printing level.
• Manila – A strong, brown paper often used for stationery and wrapping.
• Manuscript (MS) – The original written or typewritten work submitted by an author for publication.
• Margins – The non-printing blank areas around the edges of a page.
• Mark Up – Copy annotated with detailed typesetting instructions for the compositor.
• Mask – Opaque material or masking tape applied to artwork to block off or protect specific areas.
• Masthead – The section listing publisher and editorial staff details, typically printed on the contents page.
• Matt Art – Coated printing paper with a dull, non-glossy surface.
• Measure – The width of a text setting, expressed in pica ems.
• Mechanical Binding – A binding method that secures pre-trimmed leaves by inserting wire or plastic spirals through holes drilled along the binding edge.
• Mechanical Tint – Pre-printed sheets of dots, lines, or patterns that can be overlaid onto artwork for reproduction purposes.
• Memory – Computer storage for immediate data access, typically consisting of RAM (random access memory) which holds active programs and data, and ROM (read-only memory) containing permanent instructions like the DOS bootstrap. Memory size is expressed in kilobytes (K or k) or megabytes (M or MB).
• Menu-driven – Software that allows users to choose functions from a displayed list of options rather than typing commands.
• Metallic ink – Printing inks that create gold, silver, bronze, or other metallic color effects.
• MG (Machine-Glazed) – (See Machine-Glazed)
• Mockup – A rough visual model or prototype of a publication or design.
• Modem (MOdulator-DEModulator) – A device that converts digital data into audio signals and vice versa, primarily used to transmit data over telephone lines between computers.
• Modern – A style of typefaces introduced in the late 19th century; Times Roman is a well-known example.
• Moiré Pattern – An unwanted checkered or wavy pattern caused by overlapping halftone screens at incorrect angles, typically noticed during progressive proofs.
• Monospace – A font where every character occupies the same horizontal space, regardless of its shape or width.
• Montage – A single composite image created by assembling several images together.
• Mounting Board – A heavy board used as a support surface for mounting artwork.
• Mouse – A handheld pointing device that translates physical hand movement into cursor movement on-screen, often equipped with one to three buttons for controlling software functions.
• MS (Manuscript) – (See Manuscript)
• Mutt – A typesetting term referring to the em space.

• Newsprint – Unsized, low-quality, absorbent paper commonly used for printing newspapers.
• Nipping – A stage in bookbinding where, after sewing, the sheets are pressed together to expel air.

• Oblique Stroke – A diagonal line punctuation mark, for example: (/).
• OCR (Optical Character Recognition) – A specialized scanner that reads printed characters on documents and converts them into digital codes, allowing the text to be imported into a computer as editable text rather than as an image.
• Offprint – A run-on or reprint of an article that was first published in a magazine or journal.
• Offset Lithography – (See Lithography) A printing method in which the image is transferred from a plate onto a rubber-covered cylinder, which then transfers the image to paper.
• Oldstyle (US) – A type style characterized by stressed strokes and triangular serifs. Garamond is a common example of an oldstyle typeface.
• Onion Skin – A translucent, lightweight paper often used for airmail stationery.
• Opacity – A term describing the degree to which printing shows through paper; higher opacity means less show-through.
• Optical Center – A point slightly above the geometric center of a page, which appears visually balanced rather than “low” as the true centre does.
• Optical Disks – Video or data disks that store large amounts of information in binary form, such as text or images. These disks cannot be played on modified compact disk players and TVs. Mainly used for reference works like dictionaries and encyclopedias. Also known as CD-ROM.
• Orphan – A single line of text left alone at the top or bottom of a page.
• Outline – A typeface style in which characters are defined only by their outlines without solid fills.
• Overlay – A transparent sheet used in creating multi-color artwork to show the color separations.
• Overprinting – Printing ink over an area that is already printed, often used to emphasize corrections or changes.
• Overs – Extra paper or printed copies produced to compensate for spoilage or to exceed the number of copies ordered.
• Overstrike – A word processing technique that creates a character not present in the typeface by superimposing two separate characters, such as creating a $ symbol by overlapping “s” and “l”.
• Ozalid – A trade name for a copying process used to reproduce page proofs from paper or film.

• Page Printer – A general term for non-impact printers that produce a complete page in a single action. Examples include laser, LED, and LCD shutter xerographic printers, as well as ion deposition, electro-erosion, and electro-photographic printers.
• Page Description Language (PDL) – A specialized programming language that describes text and graphics (either objects or bit-images) through mathematical statements. The main advantage of PDLs is that they enable application software to be independent of the printing device, unlike traditional methods which require specific routines for each device. Examples include Interpress, imPress, PostScript, and DDL.
• Page Proofs – Printed pages produced after galley proofs, with pages assembled and paginated for review.
• PageMaker – A desktop publishing software originally from Aldus Corporation, widely known for its success on the Apple Macintosh. Now available for both Macintosh and PC, it has set benchmarks within the industry, although some aspects of its design have attracted competition.
• Pagination – The numbering of pages within a book.
• Pantone – A registered trademark for a standardized ink color matching system.
• Paper Plate – A short-run offset printing plate on which text or images can be directly typed.
• Paragraph Mark (¶) – A typographic symbol used to indicate the start of a paragraph or as a footnote sign.
• Parallel Fold – A folding method where multiple folds are made parallel to each other; for example, two parallel folds result in a six-page sheet.
• Paste-Up – The layout process of mounting and arranging various visual and textual elements into their final positions to create camera-ready artwork.
• Perfect Binding – A common paperback bookbinding technique where, after collating printed sections, the spine is ground flat and the cover glued onto it.
• Perfector – A printing press capable of printing on both sides of the paper in a single pass.
• Photogravure – (See Gravure) A printing method where the image is etched into a plate cylinder. Its primary benefits are high speed and durability for long runs. It is primarily used for mail-order catalogs and magazines.
• Pi Fonts – Special character sets not normally included in standard fonts, such as timetable symbols and mathematical signs.
• Pica – A traditional printing measurement unit; there are 12 points in a pica, and one pica is approximately 0.166 inches.
• Picking – A printing defect where ink is too tacky and lifts fibers from the paper, resulting in small white dots in solid colored areas.
• Pipelining – A feature in typesetting or layout software that automatically flows text from the end of one column or page to the beginning of the next. An advanced version allows text flow to be redirected to any page, useful in magazine layouts featuring “Continued on…” text.
• Point – The standard unit of type size, with 72 points to one inch (1 point ≈ 0.01383 inch). Point size measures the distance from the top of the ascender to the bottom of the descender in type.
• Portrait – An orientation of an image or page where the height is greater than the width.
• Positive – A photographic image that accurately represents the original, produced on paper or film.
• PostScript – A widely supported page description language developed by Adobe Systems and considered a market standard. Adobe was founded by John Warnock and Chuck Geschke, former Xerox PARC researchers who commercialized page description language technology.
• Preview Mode – A software mode (in word processing or desktop publishing programs lacking true WYSIWYG) that provides an approximate visual representation of the printed output. The quality of this preview varies from acceptable to poor.
• Primary Colors – Cyan, magenta, and yellow; when combined with black, these colors can reproduce a broad range of other colors in printing.
• Print Engine – All components of a page printer involved in creating the image, fixing the ink, and transporting the paper — essentially everything except the printer controller.
• Printer Command Language – Developed by Hewlett-Packard for its printers, this primarily text-oriented language has been extended to support graphics.
• Progressives – Color proofs produced at successive stages of printing to show each color applied individually and then combined with the others.
• Proof – A printed copy from inked type, plate, block, or screen used to check accuracy before the final run.
• Proof Correction Marks – A standardized set of symbols used to indicate corrections on copy and proofs, placed within the text and/or margins.
• Proportional Spacing – A spacing method where each character’s space is adjusted according to its width to improve readability. Books and magazines use proportional spacing; typewritten documents often use monospace.
• Pull-Down Menus – Interactive on-screen menus that drop down or pull out from a menu bar when selected, allowing users to choose functions without cluttering the screen. Developed from Xerox research, these menus return to the menu bar after selection.
• Pulp – The base material for papermaking, made from wood chips, rags, or other fibers broken down by mechanical or chemical processes.

• Quadding – The addition of space within a line of type using en or em blocks to fill it out evenly.
• Quire – A unit of paper quantity equal to 1/20th of a ream, typically 25 sheets.

• Rag Paper – High-quality stationery paper made from cotton rags rather than wood pulp.
• Ragged – Lines of type that do not align evenly at either the left or right edges, resulting in uneven starts or ends.
• Ranged Left/Right – Text alignment where successive lines vary in length but are aligned along either the left or right margin.
• Raster Image Processor (RIP) – Hardware that converts page description instructions into a bitmapped image of text and graphics for printing. Some RIPs are PDL-based; others are not. Both aim to produce the same final output if properly designed. Examples of non-PDL RIPs include Tall Trees JLaser, LaserMaster, and AST TurboLaser controllers. Basic page printers typically include a simple controller rather than a full RIP, which can limit control options.
• Ream – A unit of paper quantity equal to 500 sheets.
• Reference Marks – Symbols in text that direct readers to footnotes, such as the asterisk (*), dagger (†), double dagger (‡), section mark (§), and paragraph mark (¶).
• Register Marks – Marks, usually crosses or circles, used in color printing to ensure proper paper positioning.
• Register – The accurate alignment of images, especially when printing multiple colors on top of each other.
• Resolution – A measure of output quality in typesetting and printing, expressed in dots per inch (DPI). Higher dpi yields smoother, clearer characters and images. Modern page (laser) printers typically operate at 300, 406, or 600 dpi, while typesetting machines may print at 1200 dpi or higher.
• Rest in Proportion (RIP) – An instruction indicating that when resizing artwork or photographs, all other parts of the artwork should be resized proportionally.
• Retouching – The process of modifying artwork or color separations to correct defects or enhance the image.
• Reverse Out – Printing an image as white text or graphics against a solid, usually dark, background.
• Revise – A term indicating the incorporation of corrections into proofs, often labeled as “First Revise,” “Second Revise,” etc.
• Right Reading – An image (positive or negative) that is oriented to be read left to right.
• Roman – A style of type with vertical, upright stems, in contrast to italic or oblique styles, which are slanted.
• Rotary Press – A printing press using a curved printing plate mounted on a rotating plate cylinder; typically web- or reel-fed.
• Rough – A preliminary sketch or draft of a design.
• Royal – A standard printing paper size measuring 20 inches by 25 inches (508 x 635 mm).
• Ruler – An on-screen measuring tool displaying units such as inches, picas, or millimeters.
• Runaround – A software feature that automatically flows text around a graphic within a document without manual line-by-line adjustment. (See also Text Wrap)
• Running head – A line of text positioned at the top of a page that repeats the section or chapter heading.

• S/S (Same Size) – An instruction to reproduce an image or artwork at the same size as the original.
• Saddle Stitching – A binding method where folded pages are stitched through the spine from the outside using wire staples, typically limited to publications of up to 64 pages.
• Sans Serif – A typeface style that lacks serifs, which are the small strokes at the ends of the main strokes of characters.
• Scale – A function in software that reduces or enlarges the amount of space an image occupies; some programs maintain the aspect ratio between width and height during scaling to avoid distortion.
• Scaling – The calculation or process of resizing artwork or photographs to fit within a designated area of a design.
• Scamp – A rough sketch that conveys the basic concept of a design.
• Scanner – A digitizing device that uses light sensitivity to convert pictures or typed text into a pattern of dots (digital data) readable and storable by a computer. For acceptable photograph quality, scanners typically need to capture at least 64 grey scales.
• Scraperboard – A board coated with black Indian ink over a china clay surface; artwork is created by scraping away ink to reveal the white clay beneath.
• Section Mark (§) – A typographic character used to denote the start of a new section or as a footnote symbol.
• Section – A printed sheet folded to create multiple pages in a book or publication.
• Security Paper – Paper that includes special features such as dyes or watermarks to prevent forgery or unauthorized duplication, commonly used for checks.
• Serif – A small cross stroke or line finishing the ends of the main strokes of a letter.
• Set Size – The width of the type body at a given point size.
• Set Solid – Type set with no additional leading (line spacing) between lines. For example, 9-point type set solid is set on 9-point line spacing (whereas 9-point on 10-point includes extra space).
• Set Off – The unintended transfer of wet ink from one printed sheet to the back of another.
• Sheet – A single piece of paper; in poster printing, refers to the number of Double Crown sets in a full-size poster.
• Sheet-Fed – A printing press that prints on individual sheets of paper, rather than on continuous reels.
• Sheetwise – A printing method where half the pages of a section are imposed and printed on one side of a sheet, and the remaining pages are printed on the opposite side.
• Show-Through – (See Opacity)
• Side-Stitched or Stitched – A binding technique where folded sections of a book are stapled through the binding edge before the covers are attached.
• Side Heading – A subheading aligned flush with the left margin, set within the main text block.
• Sidebar – A vertical bar or panel, often positioned on the right side of a page or screen, used for supplementary information.
• Signature – A letter or number printed on the first page of each section of a book, used as a guide during collation and binding.
• Sixteen Sheet – A large poster size measuring 120 inches by 80 inches (3050 mm by 2030 mm).
• Size – A starch- or casein-based solution added to paper during manufacture to reduce ink absorbency.
• Slurring – A printing defect where the image smears, usually caused by the paper slipping during the impression stage.
• Small Caps – Capital letters designed smaller than standard uppercase letters, approximately the same height as the lowercase letters of the same type size.
• Snap-To (Guide or Rules) – A feature in WYSIWYG software that assists in accurately aligning text or graphics by automatically positioning elements flush to guides like columns or margins. The feature can be enabled or disabled by the user.
• Soft Back/Cover – A book bound with a flexible paper cover rather than a hard cover.
• Soft or Discretionary Hyphen – A special hyphen inserted into a word that only appears if the word is hyphenated at the end of a line.
• Spell Check – A feature in some word processing and page layout programs that identifies and suggests corrections for spelling errors. Some dictionaries may reflect American English conventions and should be adjustable to local standards. Typical dictionary sizes range from 60,000 to 100,000 words.
• Spine – The binding edge of a book.
• SRA – A paper size slightly larger than the A series defined by ISO, providing printers with extra space for bleeds.
• Stat – Short for photostat copy, a photographic reproduction of a document.
• Stem – The main vertical stroke of a type character.
• Stet – A proofreading instruction meaning “let it stand,” used to cancel an earlier correction. Derived from Latin.
• Strap – A subheading placed above the main headline, often used in newspaper articles.
• Strawboard – A stiff board made from straw pulp, used in bookbinding, envelopes, and cartons; not suitable for printing.
• Strike-Through – The effect of ink soaking through paper to the other side.
• Style Sheet – A collection of formatting tags that define page layout, paragraph styles, and type specifications. Users can create, save, and apply style sheets to multiple documents. Programs like Ventura include predefined style sheets.
• Subscript – Small characters set below the baseline of the normal text.
• Supercalendered Paper – Paper polished by passing it through rollers (calenders) for a smooth, glossy finish; includes high-gloss and art papers.
• Superscript – Small characters set above the baseline of normal text.
• Surprint (US) – Printing over an already printed area of text or graphics. (See Overprinting)
• Swash Letters – Italic characters embellished with decorative flourishes, commonly used at the beginning of chapters.
• Swatch – A sample of color used for reference.

• Tabloid – A page size that is half the size of a broadsheet.
• Tabular Setting – Text arranged in columns, such as in timetables.
• Tagged Image File Format (TIFF) – A widely used file format for exchanging digital images, commonly associated with grayscale or bitmap image data.
• Tags – Elements that compose a style sheet, including paragraph settings, margins and columns, page layouts, hyphenation and justification, widow and orphan control, and automatic section numbering.
• Template – A standard layout file that typically includes basic page dimensions and formatting details.
• Text Wrap – (See Runaround)
• Text – The written or printed content that forms the main body of a publication.
• Text Type – Typeface styles used primarily for the main text in documents, generally set at sizes no larger than 14 point.
• Thermography – A finishing process that produces a raised image resembling die stamping. It involves dusting a printed image, while the ink is still wet, with resinous powder. Heat is then applied to fuse the ink and powder, creating a raised effect.
• Thin Space – The narrowest space commonly used to separate words or characters.
• Thirty-Two Sheet – A poster size measuring 120 inches by 160 inches (3048 mm by 4064 mm).
• Threaded or Chained (US) – The automatic flow of text from one column or page to the next. (See Pipelining)
• Thumbnails – Preliminary sketches or rough ideas jotted down by a designer for future reference.
• Tied Letters – (See Ligature)
• Tint – The effect created by adding white to a solid color or by screening a solid area, resulting in a lighter shade.
• Tip In – The insertion of a single page into a book by pasting one edge, done either during or after binding.
• Tone Line Process – A method of creating line art from a continuous tone original image.
• Toolbox – An on-screen, mouse-driven interface that allows users to select and use various tools for creating simple geometric shapes such as lines, boxes, and circles, as well as applying fill patterns.
• Transparency – A full-color photographic image produced on transparent film.
• Trash Can (US) – An icon used to delete files or objects.
• Trim – The process of cutting the finished printed product to its correct size. Trim marks on the printed sheet indicate where cuts should be made.
• Turnkey – A system designed and delivered as a complete, integrated unit tailored for a specific user, typically including contractual obligations for hardware and software maintenance.
• Twin Wire – Paper with a smooth finish on both sides, achieved by being formed between two wires during manufacture.
• Typeface – The raised metal surface carrying the image of a character used in traditional typesetting; also, the term for a complete set of characters in a particular design or style.
• Typescript – A manuscript produced by typing.
• Typo (US) – Short for typographical error; a mistake occurring in typeset copy.
• Typographer – A specialist in the design and arrangement of printed matter, with a focus on typographic skill and artistry.
• Typography – The art and technique of designing and arranging type to produce printed material.

• U&lc – An abbreviation for upper and lower case letters.
• Universal Copyright Convention (UCC) – An international agreement that protects authors and creators of texts, photographs, illustrations, and similar works from unauthorized use without permission or acknowledgment. Published works should display the copyright symbol ©, the name of the originator, and the year of publication.

• Varnishing – A finishing process where a transparent varnish is applied over a printed sheet to create a glossy surface finish.
• Vellum – Originally, the treated skin of a calf used as writing material; the term also refers to a thick, creamy-colored book paper.
• Ventura Publisher – A desktop publishing software package marketed by Xerox, based on a document-oriented approach where each page maintains a consistent format. It is particularly well-suited for producing manuals and directories.
• Vertical Justification – The capability to adjust interline spacing (leading) and finely manipulate text placement to ensure columns and pages end uniformly on a page.
• Vignette – A small illustration in a book that is not enclosed by a definite border.

• Watermark – A subtle impression incorporated into paper during manufacture, typically displaying the paper’s name or the company logo.
• Web
  • A continuous roll of printing paper used in web-fed presses.
  • Abbreviation for the World Wide Web, a system of linked pages on the Internet.
• Weight – The degree of boldness or thickness of a letterform or font.
• WF – An abbreviation for “wrong font,” used in proof corrections to indicate characters set in the incorrect typeface.
• Widow – A single word left alone on the last line of a paragraph that appears at the top of a page.
• Windows – A graphical user interface technique that allows multiple rectangular areas (“windows”) on a computer screen to display output from different programs simultaneously. Windows enable cut-and-paste operations between programs. The term is most commonly associated with Microsoft Windows, though it originated from the Macintosh Operating System developed by Apple.
• Wire – The wire mesh used during the wet end of the papermaking process; it influences the paper’s texture.
• Wire Stitching – Binding methods using wire staples. (See Saddle Stitching or Side Stitching)
• Woodfree Paper – Paper made entirely from chemical pulp, with sizing added; supplied either calendered or supercalendered for smoothness.
• Word Break – The division of a word at the end of a line of text.
• Word Wrap – In word processing, the automatic adjustment of text flow so that words move to the next line to fit the margin, producing “soft” carriage returns. This contrasts with “hard” carriage returns created when the return key is pressed manually.
• Work & Turn – A printing method where pages are imposed or assembled in one forme or film, one side of the sheet is printed, then the sheet is turned over and printed from the opposite edge using the same forme. After printing, the sheet is cut to produce two complete copies.
• Work & Tumble – A printing method where pages are imposed together; the sheet is printed on one side, then flipped front-to-back (“tumbled”) to print the other side.
• Wove – A type of finely textured paper without visible wire mesh patterns.
• WYSIWYG (What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get) – Describes systems that provide on-screen previews of pages showing text and graphics as they will appear when printed. The term can be misleading due to differences in resolution between computer screens and page printers.

• X-Height – The height of the main body of lowercase letters, excluding ascenders and descenders; named after the letter ‘x’.
• Xerography – A photocopying and printing process using electrostatic charge to form images. Toner replaces ink and can be dry or liquid. The formed image is then heat-sealed. Most modern laser printers use xerographic technology.

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