Word Wednesday: "Majuscule"

a majuscule, the letter "C"

Today's word, majuscule, is an over-sized capital letter, like the ones used at the beginning of passages in illuminated manuscripts.  The word is French, from the Latin majusculus, meaning "somewhat larger."  It is, effectively, the opposite of miniscule.  Medieval books like the "Book of Kells" and many early hand-written Bibles were written in this illuminated style, and majuscules were often decorated with the forms of mythical creatures, or illustrations that related to the following text.

Ciao!
The Lonely Alchemist