Abrasion Resistance
Ability to withstand the effects of repeated rubbing and scuffing. Also called scuff or rub resistance.

Aqueous Ink
Inks of dye or pigment in a base of water. It is dried through exposure to air (evaporation).

Artwork
A general term used to describe photographs, drawings, paintings, hand lettering, and the like prepared to illustrate printed matter.

Bitmap File
The standard graphics format for Windows images. Usually carries the file extension .BMP.

Bleed
Printing that goes to the edge of the sheet after trimming.

BMP
A computer graphics format "Bitmap IBM format" not generally used in professional printing.

Choke
When trapping color closing in an area that has another color inside so the choked color overlaps, also spreading.

CMYK
An acronym to represent Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black, the process colors used in correct proportions to create the color range of a digital image. These are general names for the color hue of the colorants (dyes and pigments) typically used in formatting (including inkjet printing). These four colors are used to create all colors in this type of digital image.

Color Matching System
A system of computer software, display hardware, cardboard color wheels, and color filters. Used together, these elements help ensure that the colors used on the monitor are the same colors that will be printed in the final document.

Color Profile
Also called device profile. This term refers to the relationship between the color models of the system devices.

Color Separation
The process of separating a color image into four subtractive colors, CMYK, either by photographic or electronic processes, thus producing a set of four films or a computer file.

Color Resolution
The resolution at which a printer prints colored text, measured in dots per inch (dpi).

Compression
The process of removing irrelevant information and reducing unneeded space from a file in order to make the file smaller. Compression can cause losses and distortion, depending on the method.

Continuous Tone
A photographic image containing gradient tones. For printing purposes, continuous-tone images are converted to dot patterns.

Contrast
The tonal change in color from light to dark.

Cutter Plotter
A device that interprets information sent from a computer and moves a tool head (either a pen or cutting blade) to a series of coordinates based on the devices x and y axis coordinates. The head movement causes the pen head to record an image in raster fashion, or the cutting head to cut materials such as pressure sensitive vinyl.

Densitometer
A quality control devise to measure the density of printing ink.

Density
1.  The degree of opacity of an image.
2.  The ability of a material to absorb light; the dark it is, the higher the density.

Desktop Publishing
A process for creating camera ready and plate ready artwork on a personal computer.

Die
Metal rule or imaged block used to cut or place an image on paper in the finishing process.

Die Cut
Cutting of material to a specific shape using a die.

Digital
Image and line data that has been translated into numerical values for manipulation and reproduction.

Digital Imaging
The process of creating a digital output of an illustration, photographic image, computer file or other computer generated materials. Output media can be film, paper, transparencies, vinyl and other materials.

Digital Printer
Any printing device that is capable of translating digital data into hardcopy output.

Digital Printing
A type of printing which uses digital imaging process that transfers the image directly onto media immediately.

Dot
Dots make an image in color separations or halftones. Halftone dots will have a fixed density but have variable size (amplitude modulation).

Dots Per Inch (DPI)
A measurement of print resolution, dpi indicates how many individual dots a device can create on a page per square inch of area. Dpi is typically listed as horizontal resolution by vertical resolution. The higher the dpi, the better the resolution.

Duotone
A half-tone picture made up of two printed colors.

Emboss
Pressing an image into paper so that it will create a raised relief.

Encapsulated PostScript File (EPS)
An EPS file is a standalone, self-contained PostScript file that describes the contents of a printed page. EPS files can be scaled to any size, and they are commonly exchanged by desktop publishing and graphics professionals, publishers, and printing houses. Many clip art libraries on CD-ROM and the Web offer graphics in EPS format.

Flatbed Printer
An inkjet printer that prints onto surfaces oriented on a flat, horizontal plane. Some types have additional capability of printing onto substrates as thick as 3 inches.

Flash Memory
A special type of RAM memory that stores data without electrical current. This type of memory is used in digital cameras and portable computers.

Flood
To cover a printed page with ink, varnish, or plastic coating.

Font
A set of printing characters that share the same distinctive appearance. Fonts are used on your computer to display text on your monitor and print documents on your printer.

4-Color-Process
The process of combining four basic colors to create a printed color picture or colors composed from the basic four colors.

FTP
File Transfer Protocol is a protocol for the web which allows people to exchange files via the internet.

Ghosting
A faint printed image that appears on a printed sheet where it was not intended.

GIF Image
Short for Graphics Interchange Format; usually carries the file extension .GIF. The first truly universal standard format for file images, originally developed by CompuServe. Widely used on the Web, GIF files are best used for small images with limited colors.

Gloss
A shiny look reflecting light.

Grayscale
An image containing a range of gray levels, as opposed to only pure black and pure white.

Halftone
Converting a continuous tone to dots for printing.

Halftone
A reproduction of a continuous-tone photograph by simulating gradations of tone using dots of varying size, shape or proximity.

Halftone
Converting a continuous tone to dots for printing.

Image Area
Portion of paper on which ink can appear.

Industrial Inkjet Printing
Manufacturing processes that increasingly utilize inkjet imaging technology as a way to mark or decorate products.

Inkjet Printer
A printer or an all-in-one unit that shoots fast-drying ink through tiny nozzles onto a page to form characters or images.

Interpolated Resolution
An enhanced resolution that is computed using a software algorithm and makes an image appear as if it were scanned at a higher resolution. Contrast with optical resolution, which is the inherent physical resolution of the device. Both resolutions are given as dots per inch (dpi); thus a 2,400 dpi scanner can be the true optical resolution of a machine or a computed, interpolated resolution.

JPEG File
Usually carries the file extension .JPG. The current favorite image format among Web surfers and graphics professionals, JPEG images are highly compressed to save more space than a BMP or GIF file.

Kiss Die Cut
To cut the top layer of a pressure sensitive sheet and not the backing.

Laminate
1.  To apply film to a surface by hand or by mechanical applicators.
2.  A web or sheet material formed by bonding materials together.

Lamination
Bonding one product to another by pressure for protection or appearance.

Large Format
A printer, media, or print 36” or greater in width.

Lines Per Inch
The number of rows of dots per inch in a halftone.

Lines Per Inch (LPI)
The number of lines in an inch, as found on the screens that create halftones and four-color process images (for example, "printed 175-line screen"). The more lines per inch, the more detailed the printed image will be. With the demand for computer-generated imagery, the term "dots per inch" (which refers to the resolution of the output), is replacing the term "lines per inch."

Lossless Compression
A compression technique that will retain all of the file’s original image characteristics. The perfect lossless compression technique remains elusive.

Lossy Compression
A compression technique that will sacrifice some image quality at low levels and continue to degrade more image quality as compression levels increase.

Matte finish
Dull paper or ink finish.

Media
The material that is printed upon, such as plain paper, glossy paper, or transparency film.  (see substrate)

Metafile
Files that can be shared by more than one application program.

Moiré
An undesirable artifact or pattern that can appear in output film, or a created special effect. It appears as a regular pattern of ‘clumping’ of colors. A moiré pattern is created by juxtapositions of two repetitive graphic structures.

Native Files
The original computer files, in their original application forms, for a digital graphic or publication; as opposed to an export format. Postscript print to disk format, or other transformed format which can no longer be opened and edited.

Opacity
The amount of show-through on a printed sheet

Opacity
A measure of the amount of light that can pass through a material. Also the amount of light that can pass through a printed color.

Over-laminating
Application of a clear film to a graphic for the purpose of protection or to enhance graphic quality.

Overrun or Overs
Copies printed in excess of the specified quantity. (Printing trade terms allow for + - 10 % to represent a completed order.)

Pantone
A spot color matching system supported by most computer desktop publishing and graphics design software.

PDF (Portable Document Format)
A proprietary format developed by Adobe Systems for the transfer of designs across multiple computer platforms.

Pica
Unit of measure in typesetting. One pica = 1/6 inch.

Pixel
A single dot within a digital photograph. The typical photograph is made up of thousands of pixels.

Pixels Per Inch (PPI)
The more pixels in a square inch, the higher the resolution

PMS
The abbreviated name of the Pantone Color Matching System.

Point
For paper, a unit of thickness equaling 1/1000 inch. for typesetting, a unit of height equaling 1/72 inch.

Point of Purchase Display (POP)
A sign or display used in close proximity to the actual retail product being sold.

PostScript
1.  The computer language most recognized by printing devices.
2.  A page description programming language created by Adobe, that is a device-independent industry standard for outputting documents and graphics.

Pre-Press
The various printing related services, performed before printing. (i.e. artwork, scanning, color separating, etc...)

Pressure Sensitive Adhesive (PSA)
Adhesive that adheres with finger or hand pressure.

Pressure-Sensitive Paper
Material with self sticking adhesive covered by a backing sheet. 

Print-On-Demand
The ability to economically and efficiently print documents or images to order as needed.

Print Cartridge
The device that integrates the print head, ink container, and ink delivery systems.

Print Driver
The software that enables your operating system to properly build and format commands and data bound for your printer; in effect, a print driver tells your operating system all it needs to know to successfully operate your printer.

Print Head
In an inkjet device, the print head contains the printer's ink cartridges and the nozzles that control the flow of ink. This electro-mechanical functionality allows the delivery of ink dots.

Print Quality
Today's printing hardware enables you to adjust the quality of print: the lower the quality, the faster the print speed and the less ink or toner used. The higher the quality, the slower the print speed and the better the printed results.
 
Print Resolution
The number of dots per square inch (dpi) required to produce a high-quality image in print or on a computer display screen. The higher the resolution, the finer the image quality.

Process Colors
Cyan (blue), magenta (process red), yellow (process yellow), black (process black).

Ragged Left
Type that is justified to the right margin and the line lengths vary on the left.

Ragged Right
Type that is justified to the left margin and the line lengths vary on the right.

Raster Image
An image that is defined as a collection of pixels arranged in a rectangular array of lines of dots or pixels. (See bitmap).

Reflective Copy
Copy that is not transparent.

Register
To position print in the proper position in relation to the edge of the sheet and to other printing on the same sheet.

Register Marks
Cross-hair lines or marks on film, plates, and paper that guide strippers, plate makers, pressmen, and bindery personnel in processing a print order from start to finish.

Registration
The process of alignment of the different elements in a printing job. Such as the different colored inks on a print job, so they are correctly printed next to each other or over each other.

RGB (Red, Green, Blue)
All colors defined as percentages of red, green, and blue. Light is composed of just three colors: red, green, and blue. Varying percentages of these colors creates all colors seen in the full color spectrum. To help understand the concept of RGB, look very closely at a color TV screen (not too long though, remember what Mom always said…) and see that the color is composed of a variation or combination of individually colored dots (like pixels).

Sans Serif
A type face that has no tails or curled points (serifs) at the ends.
 
Scale
To enlarge or reduce an image by increasing or decreasing the number of scanned pixels, or the sampling rate, relative to the number of samples per inch needed by the printer or other output device. See also interpolation.

Scan
The process of translating a picture from artwork or transparency into digital information.

Scanner
A hardware peripheral that illuminates, reads and then converts original text, artwork or film into digital data. Types of scanners include flatbed or drum.

Serif
The curls and points that appear as outward lateral extensions of the bottoms and tops of letterforms on some type faces. Many designers consider serif type used for body text for easy readability.

Spot Color
Single colors applied to printing when process color is not necessary (i.e. one, two and three color printing), or when process colors need to be augmented (i.e. a fluorescent pink headline or a metallic tint).

Spread
Spreading the ink beyond the edge of an object so that there is no gap between it and the next colored object. "Choke and Spread" are common methods of trapping elements of a printing job.

Stochastic
An alternative to traditional halftone dotes, this random-placement dot strategy is used to render enlarged images on large-format printing devices. Unlike halftone, the dots are a uniform size. Darker areas have more dots packed closer together.

Stock
The material to be printed.

Stroke
A term referring to a line segment in a graphics program. Lines or ‘strokes’ can be straight or curved, open or closed.

Substrate
Any surface on which printing is done. Sometimes called media.

Thermal Transfer
A printer technology that uses heat to transfer colored dye, wax or resin onto a substrate.

Thermal Transfer Printer
A machine that digitally prints by transferring inks (resin or wax based) from a foil (or ribbon) onto media such as paper or vinyl.

TIFF (Tagged Image File Format)
A bitmapped file format used for the reproduction of digitally scanned images such as photographs, illustrations & logos.

Tint
A shade of a single color or combined colors.

Transparent copy
A film that light must pass through for it to be seen or reproduced.

Transparent ink
A printing ink that does not conceal the color under it.

Trapping
The ability to print ink over previously printed ink. Dry trapping is printing wet ink over dry ink. Wet trapping is printing wet ink over previously printed wet ink.

Under-run
Production of fewer copies than ordered. See over run.

Vector Image
A computer image that uses mathematical descriptions of paths and fills to define the graphic, as opposed to individual pixels.

Vignette halftone
A halftone whose background gradually fades to white.