Jargon A-Z

Print Jargon Buster  :  Standard ISO Paper Sizes   Standard Folds   Jargon A-Z

A-Z of commonly used printing terminology

Click on a letter  below to view details.

A   B   C   D   E   F   G   H   I   J   K   L   M   N   O   S   T   U   V   W   

Back Up
To print the second side or reverse of a sheet of paper. Backed refers to
the sheet when it has been backed up.

Banker Envelope
The most common type of envelope, having a top flap along the longer
edge.

Binding Methods
Methods of securing the leaves of a book, manuscript or brochure.
Mechanical binding methods include plastic comb binding, ring binding
and metal clasp attachments. Bookbinding methods include smyth
sewn, side sewn, section sewn and perfect binding.

Bitmap
At its simplest, a text character, or graphic made up of dots. In fact, a
bitmap is the set of bits that represents the position and binary state (on
or off) of a corresponding set of items to form a bit image such as on a
monitor.

Blanket
A sheet made of rexine or rubber that covers the impression cylinder of
a press.

Blanket Cylinder
The cylinder of an offset press that transfers the ink image to the paper.

Bleed
That part of an image which extends beyond the trim marks on a page.
Illustrations that spread up to and beyond the edge allowing no margins
are described as bled off.

Blind Embossing
A process by which pressure is used to impart raised images into the
fabric of the paper itself via male/female dies which can be custom made
to your design requirements. Debossing is a similar process creating a
depressed image.

Booklet
A publication larger than a pamphlet but no more than 24 pages.

Broadside/Broadsheet
Old term for a sheet of paper printed one side only.

Brochure
A pamphlet or other onbound, short publication with stitched pages.

Bromide
A photographic print on paper coated with light sensitive silver bromide
emulsion. General term for high quality output on paper from an
imagesetter.

Burst Bind
Pages of a book which are glued together to give a square spine.