In typography, the part of a letter that extends beyond its allotted width; also a historical Irish foot soldier or an Irish peasant.
From Irish/Gaelic 'ceathairne' meaning soldier. The typographic meaning evolved separately in printing terminology, possibly from Old English 'cerne' meaning a grain or seed, relating to the letter's small parts.
Graphic designers obsess over 'kerning'—adjusting space between letters—but most people never heard the word because it's invisible when done right, making it a secret language of typography!
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