Cap-height

Cap-height

Cap-height is a typographic term that refers to the height of a typeface's capital letters measured from the baseline to the top of the flat capital letters, such as H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, T, U, V, W, X, Y, and Z. It is a fundamental metric in typography, as it helps to establish the visual size and proportion of a font. Cap-height is essential for ensuring consistency and readability across different typefaces and is a key consideration in typographic design. In some typefaces, the cap-height may be slightly shorter than the ascender height, which includes letters with upward extending strokes like b, d, f, h, k, and l. The cap-height also plays a role in determining the perceived size of a font, as typefaces with taller cap-heights often appear larger than those with shorter cap-heights at the same point size. Designers use cap-height to create visual hierarchy, contrast, and balance in typographic compositions, and it is an important factor in selecting typefaces for specific applications, such as headlines, body text, or user interfaces.

typography, typeface, font, design, graphic design

— John Armstrong