century as placeholder text in printing and design. Below, we’ve shared the origins of Lorem Ipsum, why it’s so important, and why designers continue to use it today.
What is Lorem Ipsum Text?
In the modern design world, Lorem Ipsum is the industry standard when placing dummy text onto an unfinished page, whether it’s a newspaper, magazine, or advertisement. The Latin text was first used in the 16th century, when a printer scrambled a row of type (known as a “galley”) so it could be used in a book that showcased the type’s quality. This text saw a resurgence when electronic typesetting became popular in the 1960s, mainly because the French typography company Letraset started selling sheets with Lorem Ipsum.
Where Does the Text Originate?
Lorem Ipsum is taken from a book called The Extremes of Good and Evil, written by Cicero in 45 BC. The book is an exploration of ethics and moral theories, and it found a huge fanbase during the Renaissance. Cicero was a philosopher and politician who served during the Roman Empire, and he had a lasting influence on European thought. This is why printmakers began using Lorem Ipsum text in the 1500s.
