I looked up the etymology entry at etymonline.com for cursive, which reads:
1784, from French cursif (18c.), from Medieval Latin cursivus “running,” from Latin cursus “a running,” from past participle of currere “to run” (see current (adj.)). The notion is of “written with a running hand” (without raising the pen), as opposed to uncial.
Now, the uncial entry reads:
In reference to letters, it is attested from 1712, from Late Latin litterae unciales (Jerome), probably meaning “letters an inch high,” from Latin uncialis “of an inch, inch-high.”
It seems to me that uncial is not the most correct antonym for cursive writing, and printing isn’t a very satisfactory alternative to me.
Could anyone give me a word that denotes the style of handwriting where the letters don't connect/the pen is lifted in the process?
Best Answer
It is customary to speak of such writing as print or print writing among non-experts, and when the context is handwriting, it is understood that one is writing separated letters which resemble printed forms, not using a printing press or a typewriter to produce them.
Block writing or writing with block letters is also commonly found, though many would restrict this to capital letters. Many paper forms will include instructions like "print your name in in block letters" or "use block capitals for all fields".
The term printscript appears in Merriam-Webster and some academic sources, but I have never seen it otherwise.
I understand uncial to refer to a style of lettering, not a style of writing. I never heard it as as schoolchild, only as an adult learning calligraphy.