Italics

Part of speech: noun, adjective

Definitions

1. A style of text characterized by slanted letters used to emphasize certain words or indicate titles of works or foreign phrases
2. Typeface variation where characters lean to the right, typically employed for stress, distinguishing terms, or denoting names of creative works or foreign language elements
3. A form of lettering tilted diagonally to highlight specific passages, signal emphasis, or mark names of books, films, or expressions from other languages

Etymology: Aldo Manuzio, the Venetian printer, introduced the sloping typeface around 1500 as a compact alternative to the bulky Roman letters of his day. He had it cut to imitate the neat handwriting used by scribes in Italy, and the style was so closely tied to the printer's home country that it took the name "italic" from Italy itself. The adjective is simply "Italy" with the suffix "-ic" attached, so the word is literally "of Italy." The plural "italics" is the form most people use for the slanted type itself, as in "use italics for emphasis." Because the word began as a name for a regional style of letterform, the modern uses of the typeface for stress or titles grew out of its practical role in early printed books rather than out of anything in the name.

Synonyms: slanted type, cursive, italic typeface, oblique, sloped letters

Antonyms: roman, upright, normal type, regular font