Talk:ruby

Etym 2 -- where did this ruby name come from?

I recall reading somewhere that the 5.5-point characters called "ruby" in typesetting were called this as they were used to add a rubric above specific words or phrases. Is this the ultimate derivation? Even if it isn't could someone please add the ultimate derivation? ‑‑ Eiríkr Útlendi │^{Tala við mig} 20:48, 16 March 2016 (UTC)

I don’t know how the type size names were originally chosen, but I don’t think it had anything to do with rubric. Several of the very small point sizes in typography had names such as diamond, pearl, agate, and emerald. In the old days when font type was stored in cases, divided into faces and sizes, all common point sizes had names rather than numeric sizes. See w:Point (typography). —Stephen ^(Talk) 11:38, 17 March 2016 (UTC)