THE PART OF ROUNDED LETTERS THAT EXTENDS SLIGHTLY BEYOND THE BASELINE OR CAP HEIGHT.
Ever noticed how the bottom of an “O” dips just below the baseline, or how its top nudges past the cap height?
That’s not a mistake. It’s called overshoot, and it’s what keeps curves from looking too small next to flat letters.
The reason lies in human perception: our eyes tend to see round shapes as shorter than straight ones, even when they’re technically the same height.
This optical correction has roots in Roman inscription carving, where stonecutters exaggerated curves to balance letterforms visually.
Today, designers still rely on overshoot, adjusting curved shapes by tiny increments to achieve visual balance.
It’s a subtle trick, but without it, circular letters can appear oddly compressed next to straighter forms.
