lettrine

A lettrine, also called a drop cap, is a large initial letter placed at the start of a paragraph that extends downward into the body text. The enlarged letter serves decorative and navigational purposes, signaling the beginning of a section. Lettrines typically span two to three lines of type, but they can be taller in historical or display typography. They are usually aligned with the left margin, and the surrounding text wraps around their shape.

Historically, lettrines originated in medieval manuscripts and illuminated texts, where illustrated initials were often richly decorated. The practice carried into early movable-type printing and has continued into modern typography as a device to add visual emphasis without breaking the paragraph. Variants range from plain capitals set in a larger font to highly ornamented initials with color or illustration. Designers consider legibility, line length, and the amount of text affected by the surrounding wrap when choosing a lettrine size.

In contemporary typesetting and digital design, lettrines are created with software features or typographic packages. In LaTeX there is a lettrine package for varied height and spacing; in CSS the first-letter pseudo-element can simulate a drop cap. Best practices emphasize readability and balance with the paragraph, avoiding overly elaborate initials that disrupt scanning, and ensuring sufficient contrast with the surrounding text.