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Glite Dictionary
double great primer

double great primer

9.9
A size of printed letters equal to 36 points used for large headings
  • noun
  • Archaic
translation icon : doble gran primer
  • Early printers often used double great primer for chapter titles and other prominent headings.

Examples

  • The double great primer typeface was uncommon in modern printing but popular during the 19th century.

  • He ordered a font of double great primer for the special edition cover.

  • The book was printed in double great primer for better readability.

  • He prefers using double great primers for his publications.

  • Early printers often used double great primer for chapter titles and other prominent headings.

  • He ordered a font of double great primer for the special edition cover.

  • The book was printed in double great primer for better readability.

Synonyms

two-line great primer
vsdouble great primer
  • Archaic
9.9

A size for printed letters that printers often use for headings, about 36 points

is the identical size name but uses an alternative form

Surface Forms

double great primer singular
double great primers plural

Morphology

double + great + primer

This is a specialized typographic term denoting a specific type size (36 points) rather than a general compositional meaning. While 'double' and 'great' hint at size, the role of 'primer' and the precise technical meaning are domain-specific and not predictable from the ordinary meanings of the constituents, so a B1 learner who knows the words would not reliably infer the term's meaning.

Etymology

Double great primer comes from the way old printers named their type sizes: a small teaching book called a primer gave the basic name, great meant a bigger version, and double meant twice as large. That's why double great primer refers to a very large size of type used for chapter titles and other big headings.