The leg is the stroke, often diagonal, that descends from the body of a letter to rest on the baseline. It gives the letter its footing and part of its dynamism.
Where to see it
The leg is visible on letters such as the capital “R” and “K”, as well as the lowercase “k”. On each of them, a stroke leaves the body of the letter and descends diagonally to the baseline.
Why this detail matters
The design of the leg directly shapes the balance and personality of a typeface:
- A straight, taut leg gives an impression of rigor and stability, while a curved or extended leg adds movement and elegance;
- Its angle and length change the width of the letter and must remain consistent with the rest of the alphabet;
- The leg of the “R” is one of the details type designers scrutinize most: straight, curved or stretched beyond the letter, it is often enough to recognize a font.
Related term
The arm is the stroke that extends upward or horizontally from the body of a letter without joining another stroke, as on the “K” or “E”.
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