The arm is the horizontal or diagonal stroke that extends from the body of a letter with one end left free, without joining another stroke. It gives the letter its openness and part of its rhythm.
Where to see it
The arm is visible on capitals such as “E”, “F”, “L” or “T”, where horizontal strokes extend from the stem. It also appears on the “K” and “Y”, where it rises diagonally, and on the lowercase “r”, where it branches off the stem to the right.
Why this detail matters
The design of the arm directly shapes the balance and personality of a typeface:
- The length of the arms determines the width of letters such as “E” or “F”: short arms give a compact design, long arms a wider one;
- On the “E”, the middle arm is often slightly shorter than the others so the letter looks balanced;
- The end of the arm, cut clean, beveled or finished with a serif or a beak, contributes strongly to the style of the font.
Related term
The leg is the stroke that descends from the body of a letter to the baseline, as on the “R” or “K”, where the arm extends upward or horizontally.
Anatomy glossary
Ascender, Descender, Sidebearing, Joint, Axis, Bar, Beak, Bowl, Loop, Set width, Counter, Serif, Stem, Leg, Minim, Baseline, Eye, Belly, Foot, Point, Tail, Cross stroke, Terminal; X-height, X-height, Cap height, Body; Mean line, Ear, Spur, Ball terminal, Ligature, Apex, Vertex, Arm, Shoulder, Spine, Em dash, Thick stroke, Hairline, Bracket, Bounding box