Typography Anatomy

Question 1

Aperture

Answer 1

The partially enclosed negative space by a curved strokes that includes openings in certain characters (for example: ‘c’, ‘s’, the lower part of ‘e’, and the upper part of ‘a’).

Question 2

Apex

Answer 2

The point formed at the top of certain chracters such as A where the left and right strokes meet.

Question 3

Arm

Answer 3

an upper horizontal or diagonal stroke that is attached on one end and free on the other; horizontal stroke as in ‘E’, ‘F’, ‘Z’; upward sloping stroke in a ‘K’, ‘Y’, ‘V’or free at both ends in a ‘T’.

Question 4

Ascender

Answer 4

the part of a lowercase character that extends above the height of the lowercase x; a stroke on a lowercase letter that rises above the meanline.

Question 5

Barb

Answer 5

the half-serif finish on some curved strokes (for example: ‘C’, ‘S’, ‘G’).

Question 6

Baseline

Answer 6

the invisible line on which the base of characters sit.

Question 7

Beak

Answer 7

the half-serif finish on some horizontal strokes (for example: ‘E’, ‘F’, ‘L’, ‘T’, ‘Z’).

Question 8

Bowl

Answer 8

a curved stroke that creates an enclosed space (called a counter) in a letterform.

Question 9

Bracket

Answer 9

the transitional shape, connecting serif to the stroke. Brackets are the supportive curves that connect the serif to the stroke, creating a somewhat softer look.

Question 10

Cap height

Answer 10

the height of capital letters from the baseline to the carline (the top of caps), most accurately measured on a character with a flat top and bottom (as in ‘E’, ‘H’).

Question 11

Capline

Answer 11

the invisible horizontal line that runs along the tops of the capital letters.

Question 12

Chin

Answer 12

the angled terminal of a ‘G’.

Question 13

Counter

Answer 13

the negative space that is fully or partially enclosed by a curved stroke.

Question 14

Crossbar

Answer 14

the horizontal stroke that connects two sides of the letterform (as in ‘A’, ‘H’), crosses main stroke (as in ‘f’, ‘t’) or bisects stems (as in ‘E’, ‘e’, ‘F’).

Question 15

Descender

Answer 15

a stroke on a lowercase letterform that falls below the baseline.

Question 16

Ear

Answer 16

the small stroke that projects from the top of the lowercase ‘g’ and ‘r’.

Question 17

Eye

Answer 17

refers specifically to the enclosed space in a lowercase ‘e’.

Question 18

Leg

Answer 18

a lower horizontal or diagonal stroke that is attached on one end and free on the other (as in ‘E’, ‘K’, ‘R’, ‘Z’)

Question 19

Link

Answer 19

the stroke that connects the top and bottom part (bowl and loop) of a two-storey lowercase ‘g’.

Question 20

Loop

Answer 20

an exception to the bowls is the descender bowl formed by a double-storey ‘g’.

Question 21

Meanline (midline)

Answer 21

the invisible line that establishes the height of the body of lowercase letters.

Question 22

Overhang (overshoot)

Answer 22

the curves at the bottom or top of letters hang slightly below the baseline or above the meanline or capline. Without overhang, rounded or pointy letters would appear smaller than flat-footed letters.

Question 23

Serif

Answer 23

the projections extending off the major strokes of a letterform. Serifs come in two styles: bracketed and unbracketed.

Question 24

Shoulder

Answer 24

the transitional part of a curved stroke coming from the stem leading into the vertical stroke (as in ‘h’, ‘m’, ‘n’).

Question 25

Spine

Answer 25

a left-to-right curving stroke in ‘S’.

Question 26

Spur

Answer 26

a small, usually angular projection that extends from the main stroke, found on many capital ‘G’ and the terminal to a stem of a rounded letter (as in ‘a’, ‘b’, ‘q’).

Question 27

Stem

Answer 27

a major vertical stroke (as in ‘F’, ‘T’) in the letterform or diagonal stroke in a letter that has no verticals (as in ‘V’).

Question 28

Storey

Answer 28

The lowercase ‘a’ and ‘g’ come in two styles: one-storey (also called single bowl) and two-storey (also called double bowl).

The two-storey ‘a’ has a bowl with an arc over it, while the one-storey of ‘a’ has a bowl and vertical stroke.

Question 29

Stress

Answer 29

the direction in which a curved stroke changes weight.

Question 30

Stroke

Answer 30

a straight or curved line.

Question 31

Tail

Answer 31

the descender of a ‘Q’, a decorative curved outstroke of capital ‘K’, ‘R’.

Question 32

Terminal (or Finial)

Answer 32

the end of a stroke, which is not terminated with a serif.

Question 33

Tittle (or dot)

Answer 33

is the rounded mark above the lowercase ‘i’ and ‘j’.

Question 34

Vertex

Answer 34

the angle formed at the bottom of a letter where the left and right strokes meet, such as in ‘N’, ‘V’, ‘W’.

Question 35

X-height

Answer 35

The height of lowercase letters usually based on the lowercase x, excluding ascenders and descenders; the distance from the baseline to the meanline.