substitutecharacterset

noun
UK /ˈsʌbstɪtjuːt ˈkærəktə sɛt/
US /ˈsʌbstɪtuːt ˈkærəktər sɛt/

A substitute character set is a different group of letters and symbols used in place of the usual one.

The old computer used a substitute character set so it could show letters from another language.

SYNONYMS

alternate character setreplacement character setbackup character setstand-in character set

RELATED WORDS

character encodingfontcode pageglyph

OTHER MEANINGS

2. A set of symbols swapped in for missing or unsupported characters when displaying text.

The printer used a substitute character set to show the special symbols.

3. A secondary collection of letters and signs a program switches to when the main set cannot be used.

The app loaded a substitute character set because the original font was missing.

4. In typography, an alternative group of characters chosen to match a design style.

The designer picked a substitute character set to keep the poster looking clean.