rubricated

Rubricated is an adjective describing text that has been marked or decorated with rubrication—the use of red ink or other color to highlight headings, instructions, or other structural elements in a document. The term derives from the Latin rubrica, meaning red ochre or red ink, and the practice was common in manuscript culture.

Historically, rubrics appeared at the beginning of sections or sentences and often contained instructions for liturgical actions. In medieval manuscripts, red letters, lines, or initials set apart rubrics from the main body. The rubric could indicate a title, a paragraph break, or a ceremonial instruction. With the advent of printing, rubrication persisted in books such as missals and prayer books, where red ink guided readers through rituals and readings.

Techniques varied: scribes could apply genuine red pigments such as minium or vermilion to manuscripts, while printers used red ink or later color printing for rubrication. In many modern editions, rubrication is emulated by colored type or decorative initials rather than separate inks.

Today, rubricated text is most often found in religious publications, or in historical reproductions of medieval manuscripts. In broader usage, the term may describe any text that has been accented with red or colored headings to indicate structure or emphasis. Rubrication aids navigation, signaling hierarchies and ceremonial cues, and can convey a sense of formality or devotion.