beardline

B3E1A1R1D2L1I1N1E1

noun

The line below the baseline where the descending letters, such as ⟨p⟩ or ⟨q⟩, sit.

Scrabble 12

Meanings

nounbeardline (plural beardlines)

plural beardlines

  1. mediaThe line below the baseline where the descending letters, such as ⟨p⟩ or ⟨q⟩, sit.

    The beardline is the line reached by descenders in letters like p and q.

    1992, Robert Bringhurst, The Elements of Typographic Style, Hartley & Marks Publishers, →ISBN
  2. literallyThe outline of a beard.

    Heavy beardlines on men, for example, tend to appear in the blue color range. Applying a “beard cover” containing orange pigment (the compliment^([sic]) of blue) will , theoretically, neutralize the beardline, bringing it closer to the natural skin tone.

    2015, Richard Corson, James Glavan, Beverly Gore Norcross, Stage Makeup, CRC Press, →ISBN, page 55

Origin

Translations

Finnish alalinja, partaraja
  • alalinja(typography)
  • partaraja(literally)
German Bartlinie, Bartkante
  • Bartlinie(literally)
  • Bartkante(literally)
Polish dolna linia pisma, linia brody
  • dolna linia pisma(typography)
  • linia brody(literally)

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

beardline. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/beardline

MLA

“beardline.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/beardline. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “beardline,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/beardline.

Source: beardline on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.