Lowercase

Updated: 01/18/2023 by Computer Hope
Lowercase example

Sometimes abbreviated as LC, lowercase is a typeface of small characters. For example, a, b, and c is lowercase, and A, B, and C are uppercase. As long as the Shift key is not being pressed and the Caps lock is not active, everything typed is in lowercase.

Note

Programming languages, like Lisp, may refer to lowercase as downcase. Some users may also use the term undercase when describing lowercase characters.

How to uncapitalize

In Microsoft Word, capitalized words can be "uncapitalized" (converted to lowercase). To uncapitalize text in a Word document, highlight the text and press the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+F3.

Using the lc command

Many programming and scripting languages use the lc command to convert a variable into lowercase. For example, the example below shows how the lc function can be used in Perl.

my $example = "HELLO WORLD";
$example = lc($example);
print $example;

In the above example, the $example variable is first set as all lowercase. The second line makes the text all lowercase. Finally, the third line prints "hello world."

Should I use "lowercase" or "lower case" in my writing?

Both "lowercase" and "lower case" (with a space) are correct. However, you should only use one form in your writing. According to The Associated Press Stylebook and the Microsoft Manual of Style, write "lowercase" as one word when used as an adjective or noun.

Case, Case sensitive, Character, Computer acronyms, Font, LC, Proper case, Title case, Typography terms, Uppercase