Lowercase

The term "lowercase" refers to the smaller form of letters in the alphabet, as opposed to uppercase (capital) letters. In typography and graphic design, lowercase letters are used in most body text because they are generally easier to read in large blocks of text due to their varied shapes and heights.

The term originates from traditional typesetting, where individual metal letters were stored in cases. The lower case held the smaller letters (a, b, c, etc.), while the upper case held the capital letters (A, B, C, etc.).

Example:

• Uppercase: A, B, C
• Lowercase: a, b, c

In design, choosing between lowercase and uppercase can affect tone, readability, and visual hierarchy.