Excelsior is a historic name for an extremely small size of metal type, measuring just 3 points. It is smaller than brilliant and larger than Norse. Because it is barely legible to the naked eye, typefounders cast it primarily to show off their technical skill, though printers occasionally used it for tiny marginal notes or miniature books.
Heard on the job
I need a magnifying glass just to distribute this excelsior back into the case.
Also heard as
- minikin