/i tal"ik, uy tal"-/ , adj.
1. designating or pertaining to a style of printing types in which the letters usually slope to the right, patterned upon a compact manuscript hand, and used for emphasis, to separate different kinds of information, etc.: These words are in italic type.
2. ( cap. ) of or pertaining to Italy, esp. ancient Italy or its tribes.
n.
3. Often, italics . italic type.
4. ( cap. ) a branch of the Indo-European family of languages, including ancient Latin, Oscan, Umbrian, and modern Romance.
[ 1555-65; Italicus Italikós, equiv. to Ital ( ía ) ITALY + -ikos -IC ]