Printing Terms Glossary
Backbone – A bindery term used to describe the back edge of a bound book which connects the front and back covers, more commonly referred to as the spine.
Back Up – A printing term used to describe the imaging of the reverse side of a sheet which has already been printed on one side.
Bad Break – A typesetting term used to describe the starting of a page or ending a paragraph with a single word. Commonly referred to as a widow.
Basic Size – The standard size of sheets of paper used to calculate basis weight in the United States and Canada.
Basis Weight – A paper term used to describe the weight in pounds of a ream (500 sheets) of paper that has been cut to a given standard size for that grade of paper. (ie, 500 sheets of 25" X 38" 50# Offset paper weighs 50 lbs.) Also called ream weight and substance weight (sub weight). In countries using ISO paper sizes, the weight, in grams, of one square meter of paper. Also called grammage and ream weight.
Bind – A term generally used in printing to describe the joining of leafs or signatures together with either wire, glue or other means.
Bindery – A production department in a printing plant which uses specialized machinery to cut, fold and bind printed materials using a variety of techniques.
Bitmap – A digital imaging term used to describe the electronic representation in pixels of an image, indicating the position of every possible spot. See Raster Image. Commonly used as a descriptive term for a low-resolution image (ie, bitmapped) indicating a flawed printed image.
Black Printer – A printing term used to describe the Black (K) plate in process (CMYK) printing.
Blank – A paper term used to describe a category of paperboard ranging in thickness from 15 to 48 points.
Blanket – An offset printing term used to describe a rubber-surfaced fabric which is clamped around a cylinder, to which the image is transferred from the printing plate and from which it is transferred to the paper surface.
Bleed – A printing term used to describe an extra amount of printed image (typically 1/8") which extends beyond the trim edge of the sheet to compensate for minor variables associated with the automated paper cutting process.
Blind Emboss – A letterpress term used to describe a rasied, stamped image that does not register to foil or ink, giving a bas-relief effect.
Blocking – A term used to describe the sticking together of printed sheets causing damage when the surfaces are separated. Usually caused by improper drying of inks, varnishes or coatings. Also referred to as Bricking.
Blueline – A prepress photographic proof made from stripped negatives where all colors show as blue images on white paper. Because ‘blueline’ is a generic term for proofs made from a variety of materials having identical purposes and similar appearances, it may also be called a blackprint, blue, blueprint, brownline, brownprint, diazo, dyeline, ozalid, position proof, silverprint, Dylux and VanDyke.
Board Paper – General term for paper over 110# index, 80# cover or 200 gsm that is commonly used for products such as file folders, displays and post cards. Also called paperboard.
Body Copy – A typesetting term used to describe text used for the main part of a printed piece, as distinguished from the heading.
Bond – A paper term used to describe a grade of writing or printing paper which is characterized by strength, durability and permanence. Typically used for stationery.
Book Block – A bindery term used to describe a stack of folded signatures gathered, sewn and trimmed, but not yet covered.
Book Grade – Category of paper suitable for books, magazines, catalogs, advertising and general printing needs. Book paper is divided into uncoated paper (also called offset paper), coated paper (also called art paper, enamel paper, gloss paper and slick paper) and text paper.
Bounce – A printing term used to describe a repeating registration problem in the printing stage of production.
Brightness – A paper term used to grade the reflectance or brilliance of the paper.
Bristol – A general paper term referring to paper that is 6 points or thicker with basis weight between 90# and 200# (200-500 gsm). Used for products such as index cards, file folders and displays.
Brochure – A high quality printed piece used for marketing. Typically folded or bound as a booklet.
Broken Carton – Carton of paper from which some of the sheets have been sold. Also called less carton.
Bronzing – A printing term used to describe the process of printing with a sizing ink, then applying powdered bronze while the ink is still wet to produce a metallic lustre.
Build a Color – To overlap two or more screen tints to create a new color. Such an overlap is called a build, color build,stacked screen build or tint build.
Bulk – A paper term used to describe the degree of thickness of a paper relative to its basis weight.
Bullet – A dot or similar marking used in typesetting to emphasize text.
Burn – A platemaking term commonly used to describethe exposure of a photo-sensitive printing plate with the printing image.
Burst Perfect Bind – To bind by forcing glue into notches along the spines of gathered signatures before affixing a paper cover. Also called burst bind, notch bind and slotted bind.
Business Reply Mail – A direct mail term describing pre-addressed mail, usually cards, envelopes or labels that can Be mailed without prepayment or postage. After delivery of the mailing piece, the U.S. Postal Service collects postage due, based on a printed permit number on the piece that Identifies the addresses. Business Reply Mail usually mails at first class rates.
Butt Register – Register where ink colors meet precisely without overlapping or allowing space between, as compared to lap register (or trapping). Also called butt fit and kiss register.
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