Italicised

Part of speech: adjective, verb

Definitions

1. Written in a style that slants slightly to the right for emphasis or distinction ; rendered in typographic form where letters lean rightward for special effect ; presented with text angled from the baseline to set it apart
2. Displayed using right-leaning font styling to highlight or separate text from regular script ; produced with a slanted letterform to draw attention within written works ; formatted so the characters incline to indicate particular words or phrases
3. Shown using characters that are tilted to the right for visual separation or emphasis ; composed with a distinctive, sloping typeface to differentiate from upright lettering ; typeset with letters that slant to mark emphasis or significance

Etymology: The practice of italicizing text traces back to the early 16th century in Venice, where the printer Aldus Manutius sought to create a more compact and elegant style of typeface. This new form of lettering was inspired by the cursive handwriting of Italian humanists and scribes, designed to mimic the fluidity and grace of penmanship. The style was first used in the printing of classical texts, lending a distinctive slant and a more personal, informal feel compared to the rigid upright Roman type. Originally, the term referred strictly to the style of the letters themselves, describing the slanted, flowing characters that stood apart from standard Roman fonts. Over time, the concept extended beyond typography: it came to describe anything set in or resembling this distinctive script. As a verb, it emerged from the printing world, meaning to render text in this stylized form to emphasize or distinguish it from surrounding material. The word’s etymology traces back to the Italian "italico," meaning "Italian," reflecting the origin of the typeface style in Italy. This linguistic lineage highlights how national identity and cultural innovation intertwined in the Renaissance era, giving rise to a typographical tradition that persists in modern print and digital media. By the late 16th century, the term had entered English usage, carrying with it both the specific typographic sense and the broader figurative applications of marking or stressing something as special or noteworthy. Thus, the adjective and verb forms evolved hand in hand with the technology of printing, the art of handwriting, and the shifting conventions of emphasis in written communication. Today, the word encapsulates both a visual style and an action, bridging centuries of literary and design history.

Synonyms: italicized, emphasized, slanted

Antonyms: plain, roman