Subscript and superscript
![Example of subscript and superscript. In each example the first “2” is professionally designed, and is included as part of the glyph set; the second “2” is a manual approximation using a small version of the standard “2.” The visual weight of the first “2” matches the other characters better. (The top typeface is Adobe Garamond Pro; the size of the subscript is about 62% of the original characters, dropped below the baseline by about 16%. The second typeface is Myriad Pro; the superscript is about 60% of the original characters, raised by about 44% above the baseline.)](/Images/godic/202502/13/Subscript_superscript_expert0118.png")
A subscript or superscript is a number, figure, symbol, or indicator that is smaller than their normal line of type and is set slightly below or above it. Subscripts appear at or below the baseline, while superscripts are above. Subscripts and superscripts are perhaps best known for their use in formulas, mathematical expressions, and specifications of chemical compounds and isotopes, but have many other uses as well.