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Meaning & use

italics used for

phrase·Everyday

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UK/ɪˈtæl.ɪks ˌjuːzd fɔː/
US/ɪˈtæl.ɪks ˌjuːzd fɔːr/

Meanings

  1. phrasefixed phrase

    The purposes for which slanted italic letters are printed, such as titles, emphasis, and foreign words.

    Grammar: Used as a noun phrase ending in 'for': 'Italics are used for emphasis.'

    Patterns

    • italics are used for something
    • use italics for something
    • something is printed in italics

    Italics are used for the titles of whole books and films.

    Teachers often ask what italics are used for in academic writing.

    In this style guide, italics are used for words borrowed from other languages.

  2. phrasefixed phrase

    A way of asking or explaining why a word is shown in slanted type in a particular text.

    Grammar: Often appears in questions: 'What are the italics used for here?'

    Patterns

    • what are the italics used for?
    • the italics used for something

    I checked the italics used for emphasis in the report.

    What are the italics used for in this paragraph?

  3. phrasefixed phrasetechnical

    The standard set of cases in which editors choose slanted type, as opposed to quotation marks or bold.

    Grammar: Common in explanations of house style; usually followed by a list.

    Patterns

    • italics are used for X, Y, and Z

    According to our house style, italics are used for ship names but not for company names.

    The handout lists the cases where italics are used for emphasis rather than bold.

Common combinations

use italics for emphasis
Use italics for emphasis when you want a word to stand out.
set something in italics
The designer set the whole quotation in italics.
printed in italics
Foreign expressions are usually printed in italics.
italics are used for titles
In many styles, italics are used for titles of long works.
in italics
Her name appears in italics at the bottom of the page.

Synonyms and how they differ

slanted type
A descriptive term for the same visual style, but it is not the usual technical word in publishing.
emphasis
This names one common reason for using italics, not the type style itself.

Opposites

roman type

Word family

italic adjective
Describing letters that slope to the right.
italicize verb
To put a word or phrase into italic type.
italicization noun
The act or result of setting text in italics.

Commonly confused: italics used for or quotation marks? italics used for or bold?

italics used for vs quotation marks

Quotation marks enclose short titles and direct speech, while italics are used for longer works and emphasis.

italics used for vs bold

Bold makes letters thicker and darker; italics slant them. Style guides often assign different jobs to each.

Practice

According to many style guides, italics are used for which of the following?

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “italics used for”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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