Glossary of Printing Terms
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Alteration
Change in copy of specifications after production has begun
Aqueous Coating
A water-based coating applied by a printing press to protect and enhance the inks beneath
Back Up
To print the second side of a sheet on which the opposite side was previously printed
Basis Weight
Weight in pounds of a ream of paper cut to the basic size for its grade
Bind
To fasten sheets or signatures with wire, thread, glue or by other means
Bindery
The finishing department of a print shop or firm specializing in finishing printed products
Bleed
Printing that goes to the edge of the sheet after trimming
Blind Embossing
An image pressed into a sheet without ink or foil
Bond Paper
Strong, durable paper grade used for letterheads, business forms and other such pieces
Brightness
The brilliance or reflectance of paper
Bulk
Thickness of paper stock in thousandths of an inch or number of pages per inch
Bulk Pack
Boxing printed product without wrapping or banding
Butt
Joining images without overlapping
Butt Fit
Printed colors that overlap one row of dots so they appear to butt
Carbonless
Pressure sensitive writing paper that does not use carbon
Caliper
Paper thickness in thousandths of an inch
Cast Coated
Coated paper with a high gloss reflective surface
CMYK
Abbreviations for cyan, magenta, yellow and key (black), the four process colors
Coated Paper
Clay coated paper with a smooth finish
Collate
A finishing term for gathering paper in a precise order
Color Bar
A quality control device on the tail of a sheet for monitoring ink density and trapping
Color Correction
Methods of improving color separations
Color Matching System
A system of formulated ink colors used for communicating color, also known as Pantone Matching System (PMS)
Color Separations
The process of preparing artwork, photographs, transparencies or computer generated art for printing by separating into the four primary printing colors
Continuous-Tone Copy
Illustrations, photographs or computer files that contain gradient tones from black to white or light to dark
Contrast
The tonal change in color from light to dark
Copy
All furnished material or discs used in the production of a printed product
Cover Plate
A heavy printing paper used to cover books, make presentation folders, etc.
Crop
To cut off parts of a picture or image
Crop Marks
Printed lines showing where to trim a printed sheet
Cyan
The blue color, which is one of the four standard process colors
Densitometer
A quality control devise used to measure the density of printing ink
Density
The thickness of the ink film which determines the degree of color or darkness of an image or photograph
Die
Metal rule or imaged block used to cut or place an image on paper in the finishing process
Die Cutting
Cutting images in or out of paper
Dot
An element of halftones; Images printed using process colors are made up of thousands of tiny dots, although they appear as a continuous tone to the naked eye
Dot Gain or Spread
A term used to describe the difference in size between the dot on plate (or in an electronic separation) versus a dot on paper
DPI
An abbreviation for “dots per square inch;” a measure of output resolution in relationship to printers, image setters and monitors
Draw Down
A sample of ink and paper used to evaluate ink colors
Dummy
A rough layout of a printed piece showing position and finished size
Duotone
A halftone image made up of two printed colors
Dylux
Photographic paper made by DuPont and used for bluelines
Emboss
Pressing an image into paper so that it will create a raised relief
Flood
To cover a printed page with ink, varnish or plastic coating
Flop
The reverse side of an image
Foil Emboss
Foil stamping and embossing an image on paper with a die
Foil Stamping
Using a die to place a metallic or pigmented image on paper
Four-Color Process
The process of combining four basic colors (CMYK) to create a full-color printed image
French Fold
Two folds at right angles to one another
Gang
Getting the most out of a printing press by using the maximum sheet size to print multiple images or jobs on the same sheet
Generation
Stages of reproduction from original copy; a first generation reproduction yields the best quality
Ghosting
A faintly printed image that appears on a printed sheet where it was not intended
Gloss
A shiny look reflecting light
Grain
The direction in which the paper fibers lie
Grippers
The metal fingers on a printing press that hold the paper as it passes through the press
Hairline
A very thin line or gap, about the width of a hair or 1/100 of an inch
Halftone
A continuous tone image converted to dots for printing
Hard Copy
The output of a computer printer or typed text sent for typesetting
Hickey
Reoccurring, unplanned spots that appear in the printed image from dust, lint or dried ink
High-Bulk Paper
A paper made thicker than its standard basis weight
Highlight
The lightest areas in a picture or halftone
Image Area
Portion of paper on which ink can appear
Imposition
Positioning printed pages so they will print, fold and trim in the proper order
Impression
Putting an image on paper
Imprint
Adding copy to a previously printed page
Indicia
Postal information place on a printed product
Ink Fountain
The reservoir on a printing press that holds the ink
Kiss Die Cut
To cut the top layer of a pressure sensitive sheet and not the backing
Knock Out
To mask out an image
Laid Finish
Simulating the surface of handmade paper
Laminate
To cover with film, to bond or glue one surface to another
Letterpress
A method of printing from raised surfaces, either metal type or plates whose surfaces have been etched away from image areas; also called block printing
Line Copy
High contrast copy not requiring a halftone
Lines Per Inch
The number of rows of dots per inch in a halftone
Loupe
A magnifying glass used to review a printed image, plate and position film
LPI
Abbreviation for lines per inch; the number of rows of dots per inch in a halftone
Magenta
Process red; one of the basic colors in process color
Makeready
All the activities required to prepare a press for printing
Mask
Blocking light from reaching parts of a printing plate
Matte Finish
Dull paper or ink finish
Middle Tones
The tones in a photograph that are approximately half as dark as the shadow area
Moire’
Occurs when screen angles are wrong, causing odd patterns in photos or screens
Offsetting
Using an intermediate surface to transfer ink, resulting in a cleaner, more accurate print; offsetting is a fundamental concept to modern lithography
Offset Paper
Term for uncoated book paper
OK Sheet
Final approved color-inking sheet before production begins
Opacity
The amount of show-through on a printed sheet; the more opacity or the thicker the paper, the less show-through
Outline Halftone
Removing the background of a picture or silhouetting an image in a picture
Overprint
To print one image over a previously printed image; for example, printing type over a screen tint
Overrun or Overs
Copies printed in excess of the specified quantity (printing trade terms allow for +/- 10% to represent a completed order)
Page Count
Total number of pages in a book, including blanks
Pattern Carbon
Special carbon paper used in business forms that only transfer in certain areas
Perfect Bind
A type of binding that glues the edge of sheets to a cover, like a telephone book, Microsoft software manual or Country Living magazine
Perfecting Press
A sheet fed printing press that prints both sides of a sheet in one pass
Pica
Unit of measure in typesetting; one pica = 1/6 of an inch
Picking
A printer’s nightmare that occurs as the surface of a sheet lifts off during printing; generally this is a paper manufacturer’s quality control problem
Plate Gap
Gripper space; the area where the grippers hold the sheet as it passes through the press
PMS
The abbreviated name of the Pantone Color Matching System
Point
For paper, a unit of thickness equaling 1/1000 of an inch; for typesetting, a unit of height equaling 1/72 of an inch
Post Script
The computer language most recognized by printing devices
Prepress
File preparation, imposition and proofing, scanning, color separations, stripping, plate-making and other prepress functions performed by the printer, separator or a service bureau prior to printing; these days, most prepress work is digital
Prepress Proof
Any color proof made using ink jet, toner, dyes or overlays, as compared to a press proof printed using ink and plates on the actual output press; also called dry proof and off-press proof
Preprint
To print portions of sheets that will be used for later imprinting
Press Check
Event at which make-ready sheets from the press are examined before authorizing full production to begin
Press Proof
Proof made on press using the plates, ink and paper specified for the job; also called strike off and trial proof
Pressure-Sensitive Paper
Paper material with self-sticking adhesive, covered by a backing sheet
Printing Plate
Surface carrying an image to be printed; quick printing uses paper or plastic plates; letterpress, engraving and commercial lithography use metal plates; flexography uses rubber or soft plastic plates; gravure printing uses a cylinder
Process Blue
The blue or cyan color in process printing
Process Colors
Cyan (process blue), magenta (process red), yellow (process yellow), and black (process black)
Ragged Left
Type that is justified to the right margin and the line lengths vary on the left
Ragged Right
Type that is justified to the left margin and the line lengths vary on the right
Ream
Five hundred sheets of paper
Reflective Copy
Copy that is not transparent
Register
To position print in the proper place in relation to the edge of the sheet and to the other printing on the same sheet
Register Marks
Cross-hair lines or marks on film, plates and the paper that guides strippers, platemakers, pressmen and bindery personnel in processing a print order from start to finish
Reverse
The opposite of what you see; printing the background of an image
Saddle Stitch
Binding a booklet or magazine with staples in the seam where it folds
Scan
The process of preparing artwork, photographs, transparencies, or computer generated art for printing by separating into the four primary printing colors (CMYK)
Scanner
Device used to make color separations, halftones, duotones and tritons; also a device used to scan art, pictures or drawings in desktop publishing
Score
A crease put on paper to help it fold better
Screen Angles
The angles at which halftones, duotones, tritons and color separation printing films are placed to make them look right
Screen Tint
Color created by dots instead of solid ink coverage; also called Benday, fill pattern, screen tone, shading, tint and tone
Self-Cover
Using the same paper as the text for the cover
Shadow
The darkest areas of a photograph
Sheet-fed Press
Press that prints sheets of paper, as compared to a web press
Show-Through
Printing on one side of a sheet that can be seen on the other side of the sheet
Side Guide
The mechanical register unit on a printing press that positions a sheet from the side
Side Stitch
Binding by stapling along one side of a sheet
Signature
A sheet of printed pages which when folded become part of a book or publication
Silhouette Halftone
A term used for an outline halftone
Skid
A pallet used for a pile of cut sheets
Specifications
A precise description of a print order
Spine
The binding edge of a book or publication
Spoilage
Planned paper waste for all printing operations
Spot Varnish
Varnish used to highlight a specific part of the printed sheet
Stamping
Term for foil stamping
Step-and-Repeat
A procedure for placing the same image on plates in multiple places
Stock
The material to be printed
Substrate
Any surface on which printing is done
Text Paper
Grades of uncoated paper with textured surfaces
Tints
A shade of a single color or combined colors
Transfer Tape
A peel and stick tape used in business forms
Transparency
A positive photographic slide on film allowing light to pass through
Transparent Copy
A film that light must pass through for it to be seen or reproduced
Transparent Ink
A printing ink that does not conceal the color under it
Trapping
To print one ink over another or to print a coating, such as varnish, over an ink; the first liquid traps the second; trapping is particularly important when printing two or more adjacent colors
Trim Size
The final size of one printed image after the last trim is made
Under-Run
Production of fewer copies than ordered
UV Coating
Liquid applied to a printed sheet, then bonded and cured with ultraviolet light
Varnish
A clear liquid applied as a coating for protection and appearance
Vignette Halftone
A halftone whose background gradually fades to white
Wash-Up
Removing printing ink from a press, washing the rollers and blanket; certain ink colors require multiple wash-ups to avoid ink and chemical contamination
Waste
A term for planned spoilage
Watermark
A distinctive design created in paper at the time of manufacture that can be easily seen by holding the paper up to a light
Web
A roll of printing paper
Web Press
A type of press that prints from rolls of paper (versus sheet-fed)
Wire-O
A bindery trade name for mechanical binding using double loops of wire through a hole
Wire-O Binding
A method of wire binding books along the binding edge that will allow the book to lay flat using double loops
With the Grain
Folding or feeding paper into the press or folder parallel to the grain of the paper
Work and Tumble
Printing one side of a sheet and turning it over from the gripper to the tail to print the second side using the same side guide and plate for the second side
Work and Turn
Printing one side of a sheet and turning it over from left to right using the same side guides and plate for the second side
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