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Original · left

Kerning (metal type)

Overhanging parts of metal type letters cast to sit over neighbors.

First in use: the 1600s
Duplicate · right

Kerning (digital type)

Adjusting the space between specific pairs of letters in digital type.

First in use: the 1980s

Kerning / Kerning (metal type) / Kerning (digital type)

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Duplicate share · 12 mo—
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Colour keyGrey · original meaningGreen · duplicate meaningAmber · contested (40–60%)How colours work

Lead type vs. font tables.

Which meaning of Kerning is the original, and which one is the duplicate riding on its name? Kerning (metal type) came first (the 1600s). Kerning (digital type) arrived in the 1980s. The data below shows which one owns the word now.

Wikipedia pageviews since 2015

Kerning (metal type)Kerning (digital type)
English Wikipedia pageviews since July 2015 load here.

Duplicate's share of attention

Green line = duplicate's % · above 60 it owns the word · below 40 the original does

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The case for each meaning

Sourced definitions, usage stats and quotes

Original · the 1600s

Kerning (metal type)

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Duplicate · the 1980s

Kerning (digital type)

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More duplicated terms

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