majus

Majus is a term used in typography and paleography to refer to uppercase letterforms, collectively known as majuscule or capital letters. The word is derived from the Latin term majusculus or majus, meaning larger or greater, and it is used to distinguish uppercase letters from minuscule (lowercase) forms. In historical manuscripts and early printing, majuscules were favored for headings, initial letters, and inscriptions, with other scripts developed for body text.

In the history of writing, majuscule scripts encompass several distinct styles. Capitalis Quadrata, a formal, block-like Roman capital, was common in inscriptions. Rustic Capitals or Capitalis Rustica offered a more brisk, handwritten appearance for manuscripts. Uncial, a rounded majuscule script, was widely used from late antiquity into the early medieval period. Over time, the rise of minuscule scripts in the medieval period led to a clear typographic division between uppercase and lowercase forms, a convention still followed in modern typography.

Today, majuscules are a standard feature of both print and digital type. They are used for emphasis, acronyms, proper nouns, and the initial letters of sentences or sections. In typography and digital fonts, the term majusculus or majus refers to the uppercase set, in contrast with the lowercase minuscule set.