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All letters sit on the baseline. A capital letter’s height is known as the cap height. The height of a lower case x is called the x-height, and the top of this is the meanline. This is used to define the size of all the lower case letters. Using these measurements consistently in a typeface makes sure that all the letters work together. This creates unity.

Ascenders and descenders

The part that goes below the baseline is called a descender. The part that goes above the meanline is called an ascender.

Bar, arm, stem and bowl

Letters like A, e, f, H and t, have a part which goes across, this is known as the bar or crossbar.

Uppercase letters, E, F, T and Z, all have a part across the top or bottom of the letter known as the arm.

The stem is a straight, vertical part, eg the letters B, D, F, H, L, R, b, d, t and l all have a stem.

Letters such as B, D, p, q, R, b and d all have a round curve which is known as the bowl.