em English · revision 4447

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|attested=c. 1200}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /em/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the name of the letter M, written as a word,^(SOED 2002)^(COED 2004) from the Latin name of the letter;^(Etymonline) the Greek name was mu.^(Etymonline) The printing unit is named from the letter M, since its width is about that of an em.^(COED 2004)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The name of the letter M: about 1200 in Etymonline,^(Etymonline) the 13th century in Merriam-Webster.^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In printing it was originally the square body corresponding to the capital M of a given type,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) hence a unit for measuring the amount of type set in a line or page, from the 18th century.^(Hoad 1986)^(COED 2004) A pica em is the em of 12-point type, one sixth of an inch.^(Collins 2023)^(AHD) Compare en, the half of an em.^(Hoad 1986) The ''em dash'' or ''em rule'' is a dash one em long.^(Chambers 2008)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1200 – the name of the letter M.^(Etymonline)

+ * 18th century – the printing measure.^(Hoad 1986)^(COED 2004)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The [[letter]] M or m.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # ''(printing)'' A unit of measure equal to the width of a square piece of [[type]] of a given size.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(printing)'' Such a measure for 12-point type; a [[pica]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[em dash]]

+ * [[em quad]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[en]]

+ * [[pica]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ In dialects of Scotland, Ireland and England em was the unemphatic form of [[them]], usually written ''’em'' in standard spelling.^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}