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Use for questions about italics (In typography, italic type is a cursive typeface based on a stylized form of calligraphic handwriting)

Use this tag for questions that ask about the usage and rules of italics in the English language.


Formally, italic type is a typographical term to describe the cursive typeface based on a stylized form of calligraphic handwriting. While the appearance of the italic form of each font varies, it is generally easily distinguishable from the font's standard form.

The above text is in italics, compare with the header and text below.

Generally speaking, italics are used for:

  • Emphasis
  • Titles (of books, of movies, etc.)
  • Names of vehicles (of ships, of spacecraft, etc.)
  • Foreign words that have not yet been accepted in English
  • For Latin names (scientific names of plants and animal species)
  • To show that dialogue is internal

For more resources regarding when to use italics, see this resource from Proofed or this one from Kent State University