Presentation Glossary
A comprehensive glossary of 180+ terms commonly used in presentation making, public speaking, and related software such as PowerPoint, Google Slides, Canva, Keynote, and Prezi.
A
- Action Button
- An interactive button in presentation software that triggers an action, like navigating to a slide or playing a sound.
- Add-ins
- Third-party tools or features that can be integrated into presentation software to extend its functionality.
- Alignment
- The arrangement of text or objects in a straight line.
- Alt Text
- Descriptive text for images and objects, used for accessibility.
- Animation
- Visual effects applied to objects in slides to add movement.
- Animation Pane
- A panel that allows users to manage all the animations on a slide.
- Animation Painter
- A tool that copies animation settings from one object to another.
- Animation Trigger
- A setting that starts an animation based on a specific action, like clicking a button.
- Appear Animation
- An animation effect where an object suddenly appears on the slide.
- Arrange
- Options to align, distribute, and organize objects on a slide.
- Aspect Ratio
- The ratio of width to height of a slide or screen.
- Audience Analysis
- The process of understanding the audience's characteristics and needs for effective communication.
- AutoFit
- A feature in presentation software that automatically adjusts the size of text to fit within a text box.
B
- Background
- The underlying color or image of a slide.
- Bezier Curve
- A mathematically defined curve used in computer graphics and animations.
- Bibliography
- A list of sources cited in the presentation.
- Blank Slide
- A slide layout without any predefined content.
- Body Language
- Nonverbal communication through body movements and gestures.
- Bullet Points
- Symbols used to introduce items in a list.
C
- Callout
- A text box or shape that highlights important information.
- Canvas
- The workspace in presentation software where slides are created.
- Chart
- A graphical representation of data.
- Clip Art
- Pre-made images used to illustrate a presentation.
- Collaboration
- Working together with others on the same presentation.
- Color Scheme
- A set of colors used consistently throughout a presentation.
- Comments
- Notes or feedback added to specific slides or objects.
- Consistency
- Maintaining uniformity in style and format throughout the presentation.
- Content Slide
- A slide layout designed for text and other content.
- Contrast
- The difference in color or brightness that makes objects distinguishable.
- Custom Animation
- User-defined animation effects.
- Custom Show
- A customized subset of slides within a larger presentation.
- Cut
- A transition effect where one slide is replaced by another without any visual effect.
D
- Data Label
- Text or numbers that provide information about data points in a chart.
- Design Template
- Pre-designed slide layouts.
- Diagram
- A simplified drawing showing the appearance, structure, or workings of something.
- Distribute
- To evenly space objects on a slide.
- Draw
- A feature that allows users to draw freehand on slides.
- Drag and Drop
- A method of moving objects by clicking and dragging them to a new location.
E
- Effect Option
- Settings that customize the behavior of an animation or transition.
- Embed
- To insert an object, such as a video or spreadsheet, into a presentation slide.
- Engagement
- The involvement and interest of the audience in the presentation.
- Equation
- A mathematical statement used in presentations to show calculations or formulas.
- Exit Effects
- Animation effects that occur when an object leaves the slide.
- Export
- To save a presentation in a different file format.
- Extensions
- Add-ons that extend the functionality of presentation software.
F
- Fade Animation
- An animation effect where an object gradually appears or disappears.
- Fade Transition
- A transition effect where one slide gradually replaces another.
- File Format
- The structure or organization of data in a file.
- Fit Slide
- A feature that adjusts the slide to fit the screen.
- Float In
- An animation effect where an object appears to float onto the slide.
- Fly In
- An animation effect where an object moves onto the slide from a specified direction.
- Font
- The design of text characters.
- Font Embedding
- Including font files within the presentation file to preserve formatting.
- Font Theme
- A set of fonts used consistently throughout a presentation.
- Footer
- Text or graphics that appear at the bottom of each slide.
- Format Background
- Options to change the background color or image of a slide.
- Format Painter
- A tool that copies formatting from one object and applies it to another.
G
- Glow
- A visual effect that adds a glowing border around objects.
- Gradient
- A gradual change in color.
- Gridlines
- Lines that help align objects on a slide.
- Group
- To combine multiple objects into a single unit.
- Gutter
- The space between columns of text.
H
- Handout
- Printed materials provided to the audience.
- Handout Master
- The template for handouts.
- Header
- Text or graphics that appear at the top of each slide.
- Header and Footer
- Options to add text or graphics to the top or bottom of slides.
- Hierarchy
- The arrangement of elements in order of importance.
- Hide Slide
- An option to exclude a slide from the presentation without deleting it.
- Hyperlink
- A link that directs to another slide, document, or webpage.
I
- Icon
- A small graphical representation of a program or file.
- Image Compression
- Reducing the file size of an image.
- Image Slide
- A slide layout designed for displaying images.
- Import
- To bring in data from another file or program.
- Import Slides
- To bring slides from another presentation into the current one.
- Infographic
- A visual representation of information or data.
- Interactive Presentation
- A presentation that allows audience participation.
- Italic
- Text style where the characters are slanted to the right.
J
- Justify
- To align text evenly along both the left and right margins.
K
- Kerning
- The adjustment of space between characters in text.
- Keynote
- A presentation software developed by Apple.
L
- Layout
- The arrangement of elements on a slide.
- Legend
- A key to symbols used in a chart.
- Lines
- Straight or curved marks used to connect or separate objects.
- Loop
- To play a presentation continuously.
- Lower Third
- Text positioned in the lower third of the screen, often used in video presentations.
M
- Macros
- Recorded sequences of actions that can be replayed to automate repetitive tasks.
- Margins
- The space between the content and the edge of the slide.
- Master Slide
- A template slide that controls the design and layout of all slides in a presentation.
- Metadata
- Data that provides information about other data.
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- A widely-used presentation software.
- Morph
- A transition effect that animates changes between slides.
N
- Narration
- Recorded spoken commentary added to a presentation.
- Narrations
- Voice recordings added to slides to provide commentary.
- Navigation
- The process of moving through a presentation.
- Notes
- Additional information or commentary for the presenter.
- Notes Master
- The template for notes pages.
- Notes Section
- An area for the presenter to add personal notes to slides.
O
- Object
- Any item on a slide, such as text, image, shape, or video.
- Object Order
- The stacking order of objects on a slide.
- Office 365
- A subscription service that includes Microsoft Office applications, including PowerPoint.
- Opacity
- The transparency level of an object.
- Outline
- A plan or summary of a presentation's content.
P
- Pan
- To move the view of a slide horizontally or vertically.
- Paint Format
- A tool that copies formatting from one object and applies it to another.
- Placeholder
- A preformatted container for text or objects.
- Pixel
- The smallest unit of a digital image.
- Point
- A unit of measure for font size.
- PowerPoint
- A widely-used presentation software by Microsoft.
- Prezi
- A cloud-based presentation software known for its zooming user interface.
- Presenter View
- A mode that allows the presenter to see notes and controls while the audience sees the slides.
- Preview
- To see how a slide or presentation will look before presenting.
- Push Transition
- A transition effect where one slide pushes another off the screen.
Q
- Quick Access Toolbar
- A customizable toolbar for quick access to frequently used commands.
R
- Reading View
- A presentation view that displays slides in a window without editing controls.
- Rearrange Objects
- Options to move objects forward or backward in the stack.
- Rehearse Timings
- A feature to practice the timing of slide transitions and animations.
- Replace Fonts
- An option to replace one font with another throughout a presentation.
- Resolution
- The clarity or detail of an image.
- Record Slideshow
- A feature to record the presentation along with narrations and timings.
- Reflection
- A visual effect that adds a mirror-like reflection to objects.
- Ribbon
- The toolbar at the top of the presentation software interface.
- Rise Up
- An animation effect where an object appears to rise onto the slide.
- Rotate
- To turn an object around its center.
- Ruler
- A tool for measuring and aligning objects on a slide.
S
- Sans Serif
- A font style without decorative strokes at the ends of characters.
- Scale
- To resize an object proportionally.
- Script
- The written text of a presentation.
- Section
- A group of slides organized together.
- Section Slide
- A slide layout used to introduce a new section in a presentation.
- Section Zoom
- A feature that allows users to create a zoom-in view of a section.
- Shadow
- An effect that adds a shadow to objects.
- Shapes
- Predefined geometric shapes used in presentations.
- Sharing Options
- Options to share the presentation with others.
- Slide
- A single page of a presentation.
- Slide Layout
- Predefined slide formats that dictate the arrangement of content.
- Slide Master
- The top slide in a hierarchy of slides that stores information about the theme and slide layouts.
- Slide Number
- A number that indicates the position of a slide in the presentation.
- Slide Show
- A presentation of slides in sequence.
- Slide Sorter
- A view that displays thumbnails of all slides for easy reordering.
- Slide Zoom
- A feature that allows users to create a zoom-in view of a slide.
- SmartArt
- A tool for creating diagrams and charts.
- Smart Lookup
- A feature that provides definitions, images, and other resources for selected text.
- Speaker Notes
- Notes added to slides for the presenter's reference.
- Spell Check
- A feature that checks the spelling of text in the presentation.
- Split Transition
- A transition effect where one slide splits into sections to reveal the next slide.
- Storyboard
- A visual plan of a presentation or video.
- Subtitle
- Text that appears below the main title on a slide.
- Summary Zoom
- A feature that creates a summary slide with links to different sections.
- Symbol
- Special characters used in text.
- Symmetry
- Balanced and proportional arrangement of elements.
T
- Table
- An arrangement of data in rows and columns.
- Template
- A pre-designed slide or presentation format.
- Text Box
- A container for text on a slide.
- Text Fill
- Options to customize the color and pattern of text.
- Theme
- A set of design elements, including colors, fonts, and effects, applied to a presentation.
- Thesaurus
- A tool for finding synonyms and related words.
- Thumbnail
- A small image that represents a slide.
- Tile Transition
- A transition effect where one slide breaks into tiles to reveal the next slide.
- Title Slide
- The first slide in a presentation, typically containing the title and presenter's name.
- Toolbar
- A set of icons or buttons that provide quick access to commands.
- Transitions
- Effects that occur when moving from one slide to the next.
- Transparency
- The degree to which an object is see-through.
U
- Undo
- A command that reverses the last action.
- Ungroup
- To separate combined objects into individual components.
- URL
- Uniform Resource Locator, a web address.
V
- Vector Graphic
- An image made up of paths, scalable without losing quality.
- Video
- A moving visual media.
- View
- The display mode of a presentation (e.g., normal view, slide sorter view).
- Visual Basic Editor
- A tool for creating and editing macros in presentation software.
- Voiceover
- Recorded narration added to a presentation.
W
- Watermark
- A faint image or text in the background of a slide.
- Webinar
- An online seminar or presentation.
- White Space
- The empty space around objects in a slide.
- Widescreen
- A slide aspect ratio of 16:9.
- Word Art
- A feature that allows users to create stylized text with special effects.
- Wipe Transition
- A transition effect where one slide wipes away to reveal the next.
X
- XML
- Extensible Markup Language, used for encoding documents.
Y
- Y-Axis
- The vertical axis in a chart.
Z
- Zoom
- To increase or decrease the magnification of a slide.
- Zoom Level
- The magnification level of a slide.
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