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# ascender

noun (an ascender, ascenders)

«ascender» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (handwriting, printing) An ascender is the part of a lowercase letter that goes up above the middle of the line, as in b, d, f, h, k, l and t. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/ascender/#m1)
2. An ascender is a climbing tool that grips a rope so a climber can go up it. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/ascender/#m2)
3. An ascender is a person or thing that goes up. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/ascender/#m3)

### In the lessons

Used in handwriting lessons («tall letters with ascenders»), typography and design, and in climbing and caving. Compare «descender» (the tail going down in g, j, p, q, y).

### Examples

- The letters b, d and h have ascenders. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/ascender/#x1)
- Make your ascenders tall and straight. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/ascender/#x2)
- The letter «g» has a descender, not an ascender. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/ascender/#x3)
- The climber clipped an ascender onto the rope. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/ascender/#x4)
- Cavers use ascenders to climb out of deep holes. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/ascender/#x5)
- In joined-up writing, loop your ascenders neatly. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/ascender/#x6)

### Note

From «ascend» (to go up). Opposite: «descender». Capital letters do not usually count as having ascenders.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «ascender» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/ascender/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«ascender» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/ascender.html) on Mova free.