Em Quad (Noun)
Meaning
A quad with a square body; "since `em quad' is hard to distinguish from `en quad', printers sometimes called it a `mutton quad'".
Classification
Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure.
Examples
- The typesetter used an em quad to align the columns perfectly in the newspaper layout.
- Due to the similarity in appearance, many early compositors often confused the en quad with the em quad in typography.
- Historically, em quads were used as a solution for adding whitespace in complex mathematical equations.
- To increase spacing, several successive em quads were needed to get the desired result in this particular typesetting gig.
- Typesetters usually learned about different spacing techniques including how to effectively use the em quad in their composition classes.