Typography Lingo: 10 Terms You Need to Know, Illustrated

Design basics are essential for anyone wanting to create visually appealing layouts.

But with all the different terms and jargon out there, it can be tough to know where to start. That’s why we’ve put together this handy little typography lingo glossary packed with all the basic knowledge you need to follow the fundamentals of fonts. So next time you feel lost in a sea of sans serifs, take a deep breath and refer to this glossary for a quick refresher. And before you know it, you’ll be a font aficionado in no time!

1. Baseline

A baseline is the line upon which all letters sit. Imagine drawing a line directly under and touching the bottoms of the letters in “baseline.” That’s your baseline.

2. X-Height

X-height refers to the distance between the baseline and the top of mean-height letters — or letters that don’t have ascenders and descenders, like “x.”

3. Ascenders

Ascenders are the strokes that rise above the font’s x-height (b, d, f, h, k, l and t)…

4. Descenders

…while descenders are the tails on lowercase letters that dip below that baseline (g, j, p, q and y).

5. Serif Fonts

Serifs are the feet at the end of letters. Serif fonts utilize both thick and thin lines. They are typically used to convey historical, traditional, or established messages (think of companies and logos like Time that brand themselves as reputable and trusted). Serif fonts are also used for long bodies of text like books and magazines because the feet help the eye easily step from one letter to the next.

6. Sans Serif Fonts

Meanwhile, sans serif fonts are free of feet. Their clean lettering typically uses an even weight throughout and is often used to convey a more modern message (think logos like Facebook and other brands positioning themselves as young, fresh, and innovative).

7. Kerning

Kerning refers to the space between two individual letters. For example, in the Wendy’s logo, the “n” and “d” have tighter kerning than the “y” and “s.” Designers often use kerning to customize and perfect logo typography.

8. Tracking

Similar to kerning, tracking refers to adjusting the space between a set of letters or words. Wide tracking is often associated with elegance and luxury, such as in the Bulgari logo.

9. Leading

Meanwhile, leading refers to the spacing between baselines of text. You can make your designs easier on the eye by giving your ascenders and descenders more room to breathe with increased leading. This is particularly important with large blocks of text on websites or other marketing materials.

10. White Space

Speaking of room to breathe, white space is the leftover area in a design — the unused area in the margin, between elements, and sometimes within elements. FedEx, the World Wildlife Federation, and Girl Scouts of America all use white space to create an “aha” moment with their logos. In this case, white space is sometimes referred to as negative space.

You’ve learned some typography lingo: now what?

Go forth! Take this new type knowledge and keep up with creative conversation, communicate more easily with your designer (hey, give us a buzz and let’s talk about your next graphic design project!), impress your colleagues, and add some input when a goliath like Google releases a new logo. You’ll sound super smart.