A

A (n: ej)

The first letter of the Latin-based script.

The first letter of the Greek-based script; Alpha.

The first letter of the Cyrillic-based script; Ah, earlier Az.

Shape series (A0, A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, etc.) used in most of the world as the standard paper shape. Papers in A series format can be cut in half and retain the same proportion of long and short sides.

ampersand & (n: '&m p@r "s&nd)

A symbol for the word "and" consisting of the two letters e and t in an elaborate ligature, from the Latin word "et," one form of Latin "and."

apex (n: 'e pEks)

The place where two usually diagonal strokes meet, as in the letter A.

A high vertex.

arcade (n: Ar 'ked)

the arching strokes of lowercase h,m,n and its similar shapes in b,d,p,q,u. Arcades set the visual rhythm of a typeface, as their legs or columns might be closer together or farther apart. See Branch.

ascender (n: a 'sEn d@r)

The part of a letter, such as bdfhl, that extends above the height of letters that are without projections, such as aeou and the x. The upward projection of lowercase t is not a full ascender, being always shorter than the height of l.

@ at (n: @t or @?)

Commercial "at" from Latin "ad", at. In most early constructions, the @ can be read as each: 2#@30¢ = two pounds at 30 cents each.

The divider of an email address, separating the name of the addressee from the domain where the addressee receives mail: "name@hostname.example".