The Anatomy of Type

This area of the type is called...

• Tail

• Leg

• Spine

• Shoulder

Answer explanation

A portion of a letter that extends downwards, attached at one end and free at the other.

This area of the type is called...

• Arm

• Ear

• Swash

• Terminal

Answer explanation

A straight or curved portion of a letter that extends upwards or outwards, attached at one end and free at the other.

This area of the type is called...

• Stem

• Bowl

• Shoulder

• Ear

Answer explanation

The small stroke that extends outwards from a lowercase g in some typeface styles.

This area of the type is called...

• Descender

• Spine

• Shoulder

• Bar

Answer explanation

The stroke that curves downwards and to the right of the lowercase h, m and n.

This area of the type is called...

• Spur

• Tail

• Loop

• Descender

Answer explanation

The decorative curved descender of a capital Q, R and K. The descenders of the lowercase g, j, p, q and y are also sometimes called tails.

This area of the type is called...

• Bowl

• Spine

• Ascender

• Bar

Answer explanation

The spine is the main curved stroke inside the upper and lowercase S.

This area of the type is called...

• Bowl

• Bar

• Descender

• Ascender

Answer explanation

An ascender is a vertical stroke that extends upwards, over the x-height.

This area of the type is called...

• Descender

• Arm

• Bar

• Swash

Answer explanation

A descender is a vertical stoke that extends downwards, below the x-height.

This area of the type is called...

• Swash

• Bowl

• Counter

• Spur

Answer explanation

A swash is a fancy or decorative replacement to a terminal or serif in any capital letter.

This area of the type is called...

• Counter

• Serif

• Bowl

• Bar

Answer explanation

A bar is a horizontal stroke in letters like A, H, e and f.