kerning

[kur-ning] /ˈkɜr nɪŋ/
noun, Printing.
1.
the setting of two letters closer together than is usual by removing space between them.
Origin
1675-85; kern2 + -ing1

kern1

[kurn] /kɜrn/
noun
1.
a part of the face of a type projecting beyond the body or shank, as in certain italic letters.
verb (used with object)
2.
to form or furnish with a kern, as a type or letter.
3.
to remove a portion of space between (adjacent letters) in preparation for printing.
Origin
1675-85; < French carne corner of type ≪ Latin cardin- (stem of cardō) hinge

kern4

[kurn] /kɜrn/
verb (used without object)
1.
(of a tree or plant) to produce or form kernels, hard grain, or seed.
verb (used with object)
2.
to cause to granulate, especially to granulate salt.
3.
to cover with crystalline grains of salt; salt (meat).
noun
4.
Obsolete. a kernel, as of a nut; a grain, as of sand or wheat.
Origin
1275-1325; Middle English kirnen, kerne (v.); akin to kirnelen to develop into seed; see kernel

kern5

[kurn] /kɜrn/
verb (used with object), verb (used without object), noun, Scot. and North England
1.
churn.
Examples from the web for kerning
  • We further agree that these fonts shall be made public including providing all applicable kerning spacing.
  • Tracking, kerning, and leading values shall not be changed from the default values of the word processing or page layout software.
  • Two files are on disk, one with text only and the other with kerning and picture placeholders.
British Dictionary definitions for kerning

kerning

/ˈkɜːnɪŋ/
noun
1.
(printing) the adjustment of space between the letters of words to improve the appearance of text matter

kern1

/kɜːn/
noun
1.
the part of the character on a piece of printer's type that projects beyond the body
verb
2.
(transitive) to furnish (a typeface) with a kern
Word Origin
C17: from French carne corner of type, projecting angle, ultimately from Latin cardō hinge

kern2

/kɜːn/
noun
1.
a lightly armed foot soldier in medieval Ireland or Scotland
2.
a troop of such soldiers
3.
(archaic) a loutish peasant
Word Origin
C14: from Middle Irish cethern band of foot soldiers, from cath battle

kern3

/kɜːn/
noun
1.
(engineering) the central area of a wall, column, etc, through which all compressive forces pass
Word Origin
from German Kern core, heart

Kern

/kɜːn/
noun
1.
Jerome (David). 1885–1945, US composer of musical comedies, esp Show Boat (1927)
Word Origin and History for kerning

kern

n.

1680s, "part of a metal type projecting beyond the body," as the head of an -f- or the tail of a -j-, from French carne "projecting angle, quill of a pen," from Latin cardinem "hinge."

kerning in Technology

text
The process of reducing the spacing between certain pairs of letters to improve their appearance. When a font is created, each character is given a width that includes some space around it so that the letters don't run into each other when displayed or printed. This can be thought of as an invisible box around each character. Some pairs of characters such as A and V, look better if the boxes overlap slightly, bringing the characters closer together (but still not touching).
See also tracking, leading.
(1996-06-07)