majuscule

Majuscule, in typography and paleography, denotes the larger letterforms known today as uppercase letters. The term comes from Latin majusculus meaning “larger,” contrasting with minuscule, the smaller lowercase forms. In historical writing, majuscule scripts emphasize capital-like shapes and were commonly used for inscriptions and formal manuscripts.

Among the best‑known majuscule scripts are the Roman square capitals used in monuments (capitalis monumentalis and capitalis quadrata) and the more informal rustic capitals developed for book use. In late antiquity and the early Middle Ages, the majuscule family gave rise to rounded forms such as uncial and half-uncial, which retain majuscule origins but display distinct, rounded shapes suited to manuscript copy.

In modern typography, majuscule is synonymous with uppercase letters. The opposite term is minuscule (or lowercase). Uppercase letters are typically used for initials, acronyms, headings, and emphasis, while lowercase letters constitute the body text in most writing systems. The distinction between majuscule and minuscule also helps scholars describe historical scripts and the evolution of writing styles.

In digital typography and encoding, uppercase letters occupy separate code points in Unicode, reflecting the traditional division between majuscule and minuscule forms. The term majuscule remains a descriptive label in scholarly work on scripts and type design, distinct from its everyday use as a synonym for capital letters.