Which typographic term describes the imaginary line at which letters rest, used as a reference in typography?

• A. Cap Line
• B. Baseline
• C. X-Height
• D. Base Line

Answer: (D)

Baseline is the line on which most letters sit and serves as the anchor for a line of type. It provides the reference used to align characters across a row, so the text stays level. Descenders such as g, p, and y extend below this line, while the main bodies of most letters sit on it. Other typographic lines relate to height measurements: the cap height is the distance from the baseline to the top of capital letters, and the x-height is the height of the main body of lowercase letters. The term base line isn’t the standard usage; baseline is the accepted term.