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Graphic Design vocabulary · Print Production

Trim size

Meaning in graphic design, with examples

/ˈtrɪm ˌsaɪz/nounCommon term

In graphic design, trim size means: The final size of a printed piece after it has been cut, for example 148 × 210 mm for an A5 flyer, not counting the bleed.

In Turkish: kesim ölçüsü, net ölçü, net ebat

How it is used

Used in printer specifications and when setting up documents. You confirm, set or check the trim size; the document is set to the trim size and the bleed is added outside it. The cutting line is called the trim line.

Example sentences

  1. The trim size is 210 × 297 mm, so the PDF with bleed should be 216 × 303 mm.

  2. Can you confirm the trim size before I set up the book file?

Common collocations

  • final trim size
  • confirm the trim size
  • trim line
  • trim and bleed
  • bleedExtra image or background that extends past the edge of the final page, usually 3 mm, so that no white edge appears when the printed sheet is trimmed.
  • crop marksThin lines printed at the corners of a sheet, outside the design, that show the printer exactly where to cut the paper to the final size.
  • marginThe empty space between the content and the edges of a page or screen. It frames the content and keeps important text away from where the paper is cut or bound.
  • print-readyDescribes a final file that meets the printer's requirements and can go straight to press, with correct size, bleed, colour mode, image resolution and fonts.

More terms: Print Production

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