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Glite Dictionary
stepped line

stepped line

8.4
A line of text with the first line at the left and each next line moved in
  • noun
  • Jargon
translation icon : línea escalonada
  • Designers often choose a stepped line format for longer headlines to improve readability.

Examples

  • The magazine used a stepped line to emphasize the headline on the cover.

  • She preferred the clean look of a stepped line for the article titles.

  • The article featured a stepped line design.

  • Can you create a stepped line for the report?

  • Designers often choose a stepped line format for longer headlines to improve readability.

  • She preferred the clean look of a stepped line for the article titles.

  • The magazine used a stepped line to emphasize the headline on the cover.

Synonyms

dropline
vsstepped line
  • Jargon
9.8

A newspaper or magazine headline with each line indented more to the right

is the same design but written as the main entry term here
drop line
vsstepped line
  • Jargon
7.5

A headline where each line after the first is indented more to the right

is the same design but appears under the primary entry here
stephead
vsstepped line
  • Jargon
9.9

A headline with the first line at the left and each next line moved further to the right

is the same layout but recorded under the principal term here
stagger head
vsstepped line
  • Specialized
9.6

A headline with each line indented more to the right like steps

is the same layout but uses the canonical entry name here
staggered head
vsstepped line
  • Specialized
9.5

A headline with the first line at the left edge and later lines moved to the right

is the same layout but listed under the main dataset term here

Surface Forms

stepped line singular
stepped lines plural

Morphology

step + line

The phrase is a straightforward adjective–noun composition: 'stepped' (having steps or staggered offsets) plus 'line' yields a line arranged in steps. A B1 learner who knows 'step' and 'line' can infer this typographic meaning (successive lines indented) without prior exposure, so the phrase is compositional and predictable.

Etymology

Stepped line names a headline style where the first line starts at the left and each next line is moved a bit more to the right so the lines look like small steps. The picture of a stepped line helps remember that this layout guides the eye and improves 'readability'.