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swash letter

American  

noun

  1. an ornamental italic capital letter having a flourish extending beyond the body of the type.


swash letter British  

noun

  1. printing a decorative letter, esp an ornamental italic capital

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of swash letter

First recorded in 1675–85