#typography

• Archaic segments — An archaic plural form or obsolete technical variant designating detachable segments, nodes, or structural divisions of plant stalks, or minor joints of metal typefaces in early printing offices. It represents an early adaptation of scientific terms from the European space.
• Asterisk — A typographic star-shaped symbol (), used in printed matters, edited texts, or manuscripts to direct the reader to a footnote, a marginal explanation, or a supplement at the bottom of the page or end of the volume; it is also utilized in computer science as a multiplication operator or a global wildcard symbol.
• Asterism — A remarkable optical phenomenon found in certain crystals and gemstones (such as star sapphires or star rubies), manifested by a star-shaped light reflection with multiple rays, caused by light refraction on geometrically oriented micro-inclusions; in astronomy, it denotes a small group of stars forming a recognized geometric figure in the night sky that is not an official constellation; in typography, it represents a group of three asterisks (⁂) used to separate text sections.
• Carbonless — Allowing the automatic creation of a copy on the underlying sheet at the moment of writing, due to a special chemical coating (ink microcapsules) applied to the surface of the paper, eliminating the need for traditional carbon paper. The term describes types of forms, receipt books, invoice books, or paper rolls frequently used in administrative, commercial, and typographical activities.
• Automatic copy — A faithful copy or exact duplicate of a document, text, or dataset, produced automatically by a technical device or through the intrinsic chemical properties of the writing medium, without the manual intervention of an external operator. It represents the direct result of a structural self-replication or instantaneous chemical transfer process.
• Duplicator — An old apparatus for multiplying written documents or drawings, based on transferring ink from a special matrix; (rarely) a person who multiplies texts using such a device or automated copying systems. As an adjective, it describes an archaic system or method of semi-automated graphic reproduction.
• To reproduce by autography — To reproduce a text, musical score, drawing, or map using autography, a traditional lithographic replication technique involving the transfer of writing from a specially prepared paper directly onto the printing stone. In a secondary modern sense, the term can also describe the act of signing or leaving a handwritten dedication on an object or document.
• Autotype — A photomechanical printing process used to reproduce continuous-tone images (photographs, paintings) by means of a screen (halftone screen) that breaks the image down into a dense layout of fine dots of varying sizes. The term also denotes the metallic printing plate (autotype) obtained through this method, historically used for illustration printing in books and newspapers.
• Autotypography — An extremely rare experimental or historical printing process where the manuscript, drawing, or matrix is directly transferred or engraved onto the printing plate by the author themselves, without the assistance of a compositor or professional engraver. This bookish term individualizes early attempts at independent publishing and total control over the graphic duplication process.