Definition

1. Noun:
   • A unit of measurement in typography: An "em" is a unit of measurement in typesetting and digital typography, equal to the currently specified point size. Historically, it was the width of the capital letter "M" in a given typeface, but it is now defined as a relative unit equal to the font size.
   • A square space in printing: In traditional printing, an "em" (or "em quad") refers to a square space or piece of type, the width of which is equal to the point size of the font. It is used for creating indents and spacing.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • Set the paragraph indent to 2 ems. (This means the indent is twice the current font size.)
  • In CSS, 1em is equal to the current font size of the element.
  • The printer inserted an em space to create a proper indent.

Advanced Usage

• "em dash": A punctuation mark (—) that is one em wide, used to indicate a break in thought or a parenthetical statement.
  • She was considering the offer—a very generous one—before deciding.
• "em space": A typographical space that is one em wide.
  • Format the document with an em space after each paragraph heading.

Variants and Related Words

• Em quad (n): Another term for an "em" space, especially in traditional printing.
• En (n): A unit of measurement equal to half of an em.
• Emphasis (n): Special importance or prominence. (Note: This is a related concept in typography, often indicated by styles like bold or italic, but it is not a variant of "em".)

Synonyms

• Mutton quad (n, historical/printing): A printers' term for an "em quad".
• Quad (n, printing): A general term for a block of type metal used for spacing; an "em quad" is a specific type.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

(Not applicable for this noun.)

Related Idioms

(Not applicable for this noun.)

Noun

1. a linear unit (1/6 inch) used in printing
2. a quad with a square body
   • since `em quad' is hard to distinguish from `en quad', printers sometimes called it a `mutton quad'