What does "italic" mean?
A typeface in which the letters slant to the right.
Italic
/ɪˈtælɪk/ adj, name, noun
adj, name, noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A typeface in which the letters slant to the right.
- Grammar: italic is listed as adj, name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: ascender, autograph, autographic, back.
- Useful contrasts: upright, roman soldiers, upright font.
- Usage evidence: In a sans-serif font, skewing a word or phrase can create the appearance of italics, even when a real italic font is not available. The technique is less successful with serif fonts because the design of the roman letter "a" or "g", for example, usually differs from its italic version.
How to use "italic"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "italic" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "italic" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "italic" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "italic" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "italic" is acting as adj, name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "ascender" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "italic", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A typeface in which the letters slant to the right.
"Names of vessels, as the Kearsarge or the Alabama, are frequently put in italic."
- 2 a style of handwriting with the letters slanting to the right wordnet
- 3 An oblique handwriting style, such as used by Italian calligraphers of the Renaissance.
"Spenser uses two different scripts: an Elizabethan secretary hand for English texts, and an italic 'mixed' with secretary graphs for Latin texts […]"
- 4 a typeface with letters slanting upward to the right wordnet
- 5 a branch of the Indo-European languages of which Latin is the chief representative wordnet
Adjective
- 1 Designed to resemble a handwriting style developed in Italy in the 16th century. not-comparable
- 2 Of or relating to the Italian peninsula. not-comparable
- 3 Having letters that slant or lean to the right; oblique. not-comparable
"The text was impossible to read: every other word was underlined or in a bold or italic font."
- 4 Pertaining to a subfamily of the Centum branch of the Indo-European language family, that includes Latin and other languages (as Oscan, Umbrian) spoken by the peoples of ancient Italy Indo-European-studies, not-comparable
- 5 Pertaining to a subfamily of the Centum branch of the Indo-European language family, that includes Latin and other languages (as Oscan, Umbrian) spoken by the peoples of ancient Italy; Osco-Umbrian; an extinct branch of such language family, which excludes the Latino-Faliscan languages Indo-European-studies, dated, not-comparable
"The ancient Italic languages that are now extinct include Oscan, Umbrian, and South Picene."
Show 1 more definition
- 6 Pertaining to various peoples that lived in Italy before the establishment of the Roman Empire, or to any of several alphabet systems used by those peoples. historical, not-comparable
"There were several Italic alphabets, one being the Etruscan alphabet."
Adjective
- 1 of or relating to the Italic languages wordnet
- 2 characterized by slanting characters wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 The Italic family taken as a whole.
"The centum families include Celtic, Germanic, Greek, and Italic."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"In a sans-serif font, skewing a word or phrase can create the appearance of italics, even when a real italic font is not available. The technique is less successful with serif fonts because the design of the roman letter "a" or "g", for example, usually differs from its italic version."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "italic"?
Common synonyms include: ascender, autograph, autographic, back, bastard type, beard.
How do you use "italic" in a sentence?
In a sans-serif font, skewing a word or phrase can create the appearance of italics, even when a real italic font is not available. The technique is less successful with serif fonts because the design of the roman letter "a" or "g", for example, usually differs from its italic version.
How do you pronounce "italic"?
Pronounced /ɪˈtælɪk/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Named after the nation of Italy, as it was first used by an Italian printer, Aldo Manuzio, around 1500. Literally Italy + -ic.
Etymology 2
Via Latin ītalicus from Ancient Greek Ἰταλικός (Italikós), from Ἰταλία (Italía, “Italy”).