Kern

/kɜrn/

Meaning & Definition

noun

A small amount of grain or a grain or seed, especially when separated from the plant.

He collected the kerns from the harvested plants to replant next season.

In printing, a projecting part of a letter that extends beyond the edge of the body.

The kern of the letter 'R' added a unique flair to the typeface.

verb

To adjust the position of a character in a typeface, usually to reduce space between it and an adjacent character.

The graphic designer had to kern the letters to ensure they looked visually balanced.

To create a small space between two characters in typesetting.

After kerned adjustments, the text read more clearly and aesthetically.

Derived from the French word 'carne', meaning 'to set in a form'.

kern it

Adjust the spacing between characters.

tight kern

Referring to reduced spacing between letters.

loose kern

Referring to increased spacing between letters.

kerning

The process of adjusting the space between characters in a piece of text.

typography

The art and technique of arranging type.

To make something appear more attractive by adjusting its spacing.

The poster looked bad until I kerned it right.

To manipulate text layout for better aesthetics.

I kerned my title so it pops off the page.