ascender

IPA/əˈsen.dər/
IPA/əˈsen.dɚ/

ascender — noun

  • ascendersingular
  • ascendersplural

1. the tall stroke on certain lowercase letters that reaches above the middle zone,

1.nounC1
Definition

the tall stroke on certain lowercase letters that reaches above the middle zone, as on a b, h, or k

Example

Sayaka adjusted the ascender height several times while designing her new typeface.

collocation: ascender height

The letter 'k' has a tall ascender that makes it stand out on the page.

Common collocations
  • ascender height
  • ascender line
  • tall ascender
Synonyms
  • upstroke

    more common in handwriting contexts; ascender is the standard typographic term

Antonyms
  • descender

    the part of a letter that extends below the baseline, such as the tail of g, j, or p

Usage Note

Distinguish from descender, which refers to the part of a letter that drops below the baseline (as in g, j, or p).

Common Mistakes

The descender on the letter b is very tall.
The ascender on the letter b is very tall.
An ascender goes upward (b, d, h); a descender goes downward (g, j, p).

2. a metal device that attaches to a climbing rope, letting it move up freely but l

2.nounC1
Definition

a metal device that attaches to a climbing rope, letting it move up freely but locking tight when weight pulls down

Example

Hamza clipped his ascender onto the rope before starting the steep climb.

clip + ascender onto + rope

Esme tested her ascender by pulling down hard on the rope first.

Common collocations
  • clip an ascender
  • attach an ascender
  • slide the ascender
Synonyms
  • jumar

    a brand name often used generically for mechanical ascenders

  • rope clamp

    a simpler gripping device; an ascender typically uses a mechanical cam mechanism

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

An ascender is the upward stroke of a lowercase letter that rises above the x-height, seen in letters like b, d, and h. The opposite is a descender — the tail that drops below the baseline, as in g, j, and p. Upstroke is a broader handwriting term for any upward pen movement, while ascender specifically names the typographic feature. In font design, ascender height and descender depth together determine a typeface's overall proportions and readability.

descenderupstroke

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Formed from the verb ascend (to go up or climb) plus the suffix -er, which here marks a thing that performs an action. Ascend itself traces back to Latin ascendere, from ad- 'to' + scandere 'to climb'. The typographic sense emerged in the early 20th century with the development of modern type design terminology; the climbing-device sense developed separately in the mid-20th century from the same base meaning of 'something that goes up.'

First known use

1867

1867, in the meaning defined at sense 1