B

Ball terminal

A circular 'blob' shape at the end of a stroke on certain letterforms of some serif fonts. The 'a' in Times is one example.

Baseline

The baseline is the imaginary rule where lines of text sit.

Beak

Overhang, or upper-hang at the end of the stroke of certain capital letterforms, such as 'E' and 'T'

Black

A heavy typeface. Much thicker and denser than Bold type.

See also: Bold

Blackletter

extend. broken letter, Gothic (serif), Old English
Very early elaborate typeface, based on the handwritten manuscript style. Commonly seen in awards certificates and formal or legal documents.

Body

extend. body size
An imaginary rectangle surrounding a letterform, including the ascenders and descenders, that defines its overall size.

Bold

A heavier, thicker style of font. Generally used for headings, or for emphasis.

See also: Black

Bowl

extend. eye
The curved 'bulb' structure in certain letterforms, such as 'B' and 'P'

Bracket

The 'support' or curved joint that joins a serif to the main stem of a letter