Of or pertaining to ancient Italy or the tribes, including the Romans, which inhabited it, or to their languages.Of or pertaining to modern Italy.Specifically— In architecture, same as Composite, 3.[lowercase or cap.) Of Italian origin: designating a style of printingtypes the lines of which slope toward the right (thus, italic), used for emphasis and other distinctive purposes. The italic character was first made and shown in type by Aldus Manutius, a notable printer of Venice, in an edition of Virgil, 1501, and by him dedicated to Italy. The first italic had upright capitals, but later French type-founders inclined them to the same angle as the small letters. In manuscript italic is indicated by underscoring the words with a single line.n. In printing, an italic letter or type: usually in the plural: as, this is to be printed in italics. Abbreviated ital.