veergudes

Veergudes is an Estonian publishing and typography term describing the arrangement of text and other elements into vertical columns on a page or screen. The word is derived from veerg, meaning column, and is used especially in editorial and design contexts to indicate that content is distributed across multiple narrow vertical spaces rather than a single wide block.

In print media such as newspapers and magazines, veergudes layouts commonly use two to four columns. Column widths, gutter space, and alignment with headlines and images are chosen to create a balanced grid and to guide the reader’s eye. The arrangement also supports governance of whitespace and consistency across pages and sections.

In digital media, veergudes can be implemented through CSS multi-column layout, CSS grid, or flexbox. Designers use responsive techniques to adapt column counts to different screen sizes while preserving readability. Typical goals include maintaining comfortable line lengths, consistent baselines, and predictable content flow when viewing on phones, tablets, or desktops.

Origins of the concept lie in traditional newspaper and magazine design, where columns facilitate compact text blocks and efficient use of space. Today, veergudes remains a central principle of typography and layout, influencing editorial style guides and web design practices.

See also: veerg (column), typographic grid, newspaper design, responsive design, layout.