Set in roman mark

A ringed instruction cancelling a style.

Also known as: Upright type mark, Cancel italic mark

Engineering & technicalEveryday & digitalStandard profile

Meanings

The proof correction mark instructing that matter be set in ordinary upright type rather than italic or bold.

Officially standardisedVerified fact
Instructs that matter be set in ordinary upright type.
Contexts: Technical drawing
Officially standardisedVerified fact
Cancels a style rather than applying one, so it is the return path for every mark in the type style family.
Contexts: Technical drawing

A ringed instruction written in the margin, the ring being what distinguishes it from text to be inserted.

IdentityHigh confidence: High confidence because the identity is defined by a current official standard, but only a single source has been found so far.
Historical originLow confidence: Low confidence because the historical origin is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far, but early or supporting evidence is limited, but the regional or cultural match to this specific claim is not precise.
Current useHigh confidence: High confidence because the current use is defined by a current official standard, but only a single source has been found so far.
Visual matchModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the visual match is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far.

BS 5261 — Copy preparation and proof correction
British Standards Institution · retrieved 2026-08-21
The British Standard defining proof-correction marks and their marginal counterparts. Paywalled, so records describe the marks as documented in secondary summaries of the standard rather than quoting its text. Authoritative for British practice; American convention differs in several marks.

Last reviewed 2026-08-24

Meanings

The proof correction mark instructing that matter be set in ordinary upright type rather than italic or bold.

Officially standardisedVerified fact

Instructs that matter be set in ordinary upright type.

Officially standardisedVerified fact

Cancels a style rather than applying one, so it is the return path for every mark in the type style family.

Confidence

IdentityHigh confidence: High confidence because the identity is defined by a current official standard, but only a single source has been found so far.
Historical originLow confidence: Low confidence because the historical origin is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far, but early or supporting evidence is limited, but the regional or cultural match to this specific claim is not precise.
Current useHigh confidence: High confidence because the current use is defined by a current official standard, but only a single source has been found so far.
Visual matchModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the visual match is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far.

Sources

BS 5261 — Copy preparation and proof correction
British Standards Institution · retrieved 2026-08-21
The British Standard defining proof-correction marks and their marginal counterparts. Paywalled, so records describe the marks as documented in secondary summaries of the standard rather than quoting its text. Authoritative for British practice; American convention differs in several marks.

Last reviewed 2026-08-24