Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

em

noun / preposition

/ɛm/

Definition

The term ’em’ is a unit of measurement that is typically used in typography to denote the width of a capital letter ‘M’.

Examples

In type design, the width of one ’em’ is equal to the point size of the font being used.
Em espaços urbanos, a inclusão social é fundamental. (In urban spaces, social inclusion is fundamental.)

Meaning

In a broader context, ’em’ signifies a measurement in the printing and design industry, as well as serving as a preposition in Portuguese which translates to ‘in’ or ‘into’ in English.