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Online Printing, Self-publishing Posted by Ann O'Brien on 05/27/2026

Just like any specialized business, the printing world is full of printing terminology and phrases that help facilitate the printing process as a whole. But while some of the printing terminology may be self-explanatory, having a good understanding of printing terminology is the best way to make the most of working with a printing company like Dazzle Printing during the printing process. Organized into easy-to-understand categories, use this reference of common printing terminology when you plan your next printing project.

Printing Terminology — Binding

Loosely defined as the process that turns pages and covers into a book, the binding process can result in five different types of bound books.

• Case: A Case Binding creates a hardback book with a rigid cover.
• Perfect: Books that are bound with a flexible cover are called Perfect Bound. Strong adhesive is used to glue together pages, creating a flat spine.
• Plastic Coil: Plastic Coil binding uses a coil wound through holes punched in the inside margins of a manuscript to create a lay-flat book.
• Saddle Stitch: This type of binding stitches together folded pages to create a book without a spine. It is often used on booklets and pamphlets.
• Wire-O: Created like Plastic Coil, Wire-O-bound books are made with slim wire to increase coil strength.

Printing Terminology — Book Materials

The papers, chemicals and elements that make up a book.

• Endsheet: These are the papers that are glued to the inside cover of a case-bound book.
• Flysheet: Blank pages that are inserted between the cover and the book content pages are called flysheets.
• Headband/Tailband: When a hardback book cover is reinforced, we call that extra strip of fabric a headband or a tailband.
• Index Tabs: These are dividers used to organize different sections within a book manuscript.
• PUR (polyurethane reactive adhesive): This strong adhesive is used in bookbinding because it is flexible, durable, and demonstrates superior strength compared to hot-melt adhesives.
• Spine: The spine is where pages are glued to a book.

Printing Terminology — Colors

• CMYK: The abbreviation for “cyan, magenta, yellow, black,” CMYK refers to the color combination used in printing.
• Pantone: Pantone is a color chart that creates a standardized colorway used across all printing processes.
• RGB: The abbreviation for “red, blue, green,” RBG is the color structure used on digital screens.
• Spot Color: A spot color is a premixed, specific color that creates solid colors.

Printing Terminology — Cover Options

• Die: A die is a tool specifically designed to foil stamp a book.
• Dust Jacket: A protective, removable cover on a hardback book is called a dust jacket.
• Embossing: The process of creating raised or recessed portions of a page to create a tactile experience is called embossing.
• Foil Stamping: The process of applying heat and pressure along with a metallic or pigmented foil is called foil stamping.
• Gloss UV: A coating that is applied using ultraviolet light that results in a shiny, durable finish is called gloss, gloss UV, or glossy.
• Lamination: Printed sheets that are coated with a clear plastic material for the express purpose of protection is called lamination.
• Matte: A matte coating is applied to paper to create a smooth appearance with less shine than gloss but more refinement than uncoated paper.
• Silk Laminate: A matte coating that is applied using the laminate process is called silk laminate.
• Spot Varnish: When a specific area needs a defined contrast appearance, a spot varnish chemical treatment is applied.

Printing Terminology — Files/Documents

• PDF: The commonly used file format for books is a PDF file format because it retains formatting across all printing processes.

Printing Terminology — Paper

This section deals with the way that paper is utilized in the printing process and how it is measured in different situations.

• Collating: Collating describes the activity of putting pages in the correct order.
• Resolution: Resolution describes the detail or clarity of an image or graphic element, and the resolution is measured in DPI or PPI.

Printing Terminology — Paper Measurement

• Caliper: A caliper is a tool used to measure thickness. Calipers usually measure in a thousand of an inch.
• DPI: The measurement of dots per inch, or DPI, refers to the resolution of an image. The higher the DPI, the better the resolution.
• GSM: A measure of paper weight, grams per square meter or GSM that equates to a higher number with a thicker paper.
• PPI: The resolution of digital images is measured in pixels per inch or PPI with a higher PPI correlating to better resolution.

Printing Terminology — Printing Categories

• Cross-Over Printing: When one image is placed on two facing, adjacent pages it is called cross-over printing because the image crosses the inside margins between the two pages.
• Edge Printing: When ink is printed on the edges of a book’s pages, we call that edge printing. Instead of printing on the flat sections of the paper, the designs or text are printed on the stacked edges of the paper, so they are visible when the book is closed.
• Fore-Edge Printing: The fore-edge is the side of a book opposite of a book’s spine. Fore-edge printing takes place in this location.
• Inside Cover Printing: When printing takes place on the inside front or back cover of a book, it is called inside cover printing.
• Inverse or Reverse Printing: This type of printing utilizes a dark background and light text or image printing rather than the common light background and dark ink printing style.
• One-Sided Printing: One-sided printing occurs when only one side of a piece of paper is used for printing.

Printing Terminology — Printing Methods

• Digital: Printing small runs or customized printing projects are often run using digital formatted files.
• Inkjet: Similar to digital printing, inkjet printing involves spraying small droplets of color onto a page to reproduce a printing project on the page.
• Offset: Offset printing is the traditional standard of printing that involves transferring printed content from a plate to a rubber ink blanket and then onto paper. Offset printing is used for large printing projects.

Printing Terminology — Printing Processes

•  Bleed: Most printing projects like books allow for white space around the printed area, called margins. Bleed refers to printing that does not utilize white space and instead prints in the margin or to the edge of the page.
•  Continuous Tone: This term describes photographs or other images with a continuous or smooth tone throughout the image.
•  Crop: Cropping describes the procedure of trimming the edges of a page to fit a printed project. Typically most printed books will need to be cropped to finalize the correct dimensions of the project.
•  Crop Mark:  Small lines or marks printed on the edge of a page that indicate where a crop should occur are called crop marks.
•  Drop Shadow: When a shadow effect is added to an image to create depth it is called a drop shadow.
•  Halftone: To create gray or grayscale color, small droplets of black are added called halftones.
•  Overprint: When a color is layered on top of another color instead of being printed individually in one layer it is called overprint.
•  Registration: When a multi-color print is laid out, the precise location of each layer, color or printing element is called a printing registration.
•  Registration Mark: This typically cross-shaped mark found in the corners of a printing project is used as a guide to align the different layers of a printing project’s registration.
•  Transparency: The process of adding a layer or layers of materials on top of a printed page to create a different finish (like gloss or matte), enhancing colors or presenting a subtle overlay to the image without materially changing the printed page is called transparency.
• Watermark: A watermark is an image or graphic that is embedded into the paper of a printing project that is intended to reference the project owner or creator. Watermarks may be created by switching up the thickness of the paper and using a design visible when held to a light-filled background.