Dictionary-Definition.com :: Italic definition

Definition of 'italic'

adjective

Characterized by slanting characters; "italic characters"

adjective

Of or relating to the Italic languages; "ancient Italic dialects"

noun

A style of handwriting with the letters slanting to the right

noun

A branch of the Indo-European languages of which Latin is the chief representative [syn: Italic, Italic language]

noun

A typeface with letters slanting upward to the right

From: GCIDE

Italic \I*tal"ic\, n.; pl. Italics. (Print.) An Italic letter, character, or type (see Italic, a., 2.); -- often in the plural; as, the Italics are the author's. Italic letters are used to distinguish words for emphasis, importance, antithesis, etc. Also, collectively, Italic letters. [1913 Webster]

From: GCIDE

Composite \Com*pos"ite\ (?; 277), a. [L. compositus made up of parts, p. p. of componere. See Compound, v. t., and cf. Compost.]
1. Made up of distinct parts or elements; compounded; as, a composite language. [1913 Webster]
Happiness, like air and water . . . is composite. --Landor. [1913 Webster]
2. (Arch.) Belonging to a certain order which is composed of the Ionic order grafted upon the Corinthian. It is called also the Roman or the Italic order, and is one of the five orders recognized by the Italian writers of the sixteenth century. See Capital. [1913 Webster]
3. (Bot.) Belonging to the order Composit[ae]; bearing involucrate heads of many small florets, as the daisy, thistle, and dandelion. [1913 Webster]
Composite carriage, a railroad car having compartments of different classes. [Eng.]
Composite number (Math.), one which can be divided exactly by a number exceeding unity, as 6 by 2 or 3..
Composite photograph or Composite portrait, one made by a combination, or blending, of several distinct photographs. --F. Galton.
Composite sailing (Naut.), a combination of parallel and great circle sailing.
Composite ship, one with a wooden casing and iron frame. [1913 Webster]

From: GCIDE

Italic \I*tal"ic\, a. [L. Italicus: cf. F. italique. Cf. Italian.] [1913 Webster]
1. Relating to Italy or to its people. [1913 Webster]
2. Applied especially to a kind of type in which the letters do not stand upright, but slope toward the right; -- so called because dedicated to the States of Italy by the inventor, Aldus Manutius, about the year 1500. [1913 Webster]
Italic languages, the group or family of languages of ancient Italy.
Italic order (Arch.), the composite order. See Composite.
Italic school, a term given to the Pythagorean and Eleatic philosophers, from the country where their doctrines were first promulgated.
Italic version. See Itala. [1913 Webster]