Mean line

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It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into x-height. (Discuss) Proposed since November 2010.

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The mean line or midline may or may not be the x-height.^[1] It depends on the design of the lower case letters. A very high or very low x-height may mean that the midline is above or below the x-height. The midline is half the distance from the baseline to the cap height. Hence the mid in midline meaning middle.

This confusion has been perpetuated by books (and web sites and wikis) on type which copied from books on type back to the original book or source on type that first failed to clarify this difference. See page 12-13 in Designing Type by Karen Cheng for an excellent and correct diagram showing the difference.

Round glyphs will break (overshoot) the mean line slightly in many typefaces, since this is aesthetically more pleasing; a rounded shape will appear visually smaller than flat topped (or bottomed) shapes of equal height, due to an optical illusion.

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References

1. ^ Cheng, Karen (2005). designing type. Yale University Press. pp. 12, 13. ISBN 0-300-11150-9. 

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