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Graphic Design vocabulary · Typography

Leading

Meaning in graphic design, with examples

/ˈlɛdɪŋ/nounCore term

In graphic design, leading means: The vertical distance between lines of text, measured from one baseline to the next. The name comes from strips of lead that printers once placed between lines of metal type.

In Turkish: satır aralığı

How it is used

Used in typography classes, design reviews and software, where it is often written like ‘10/14’ (10 pt type on 14 pt leading). You increase, reduce, tighten or open up the leading. Web developers call the same thing line height.

Example sentences

  1. The body text is hard to read; try increasing the leading to about 140% of the font size.

  2. Large headlines usually need tighter leading than paragraphs.

Common collocations

  • increase the leading
  • tight leading
  • open leading
  • auto leading
  • baselineThe invisible line on which most letters sit. Letters like ‘g’ and ‘p’ go below it, and leading is measured from one baseline to the next.
  • kerningAdjusting the space between two particular letters so that the gaps look even, for example pulling the A and V closer together in the word ‘AVENUE’.
  • trackingThe overall spacing between letters across a whole word, line or paragraph, adjusted evenly to make text look looser or tighter.
  • body copyThe main, longer text of a design, such as paragraphs in a brochure or article, as opposed to headlines, captions and other short text.

More terms: Typography

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