Definition
Drop cap
A drop cap is an enlarged first letter that 'drops' into the opening lines of a chapter — typically 2–3 lines tall — signaling a beginning with typographic ceremony.
Drop caps descend from illuminated manuscripts and survive as the classic opener treatment in literary and romance interiors. Done properly, the cap aligns optically with the text block and the first few words often follow in small caps. It's a detail readers register as 'a real book' without naming it.
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