For example, fonts like our Folkard font which have characters with parts which extend beneath or above other characters have to be thoroughly kerned or they will have huge gaps between the characters in many words. These are calligraphic terms referring to the two main styles of character. They literally mean small and large, but in modern usage minuscule means lower case characters and majuscule means upper case characters. However, in some calligraphy, particularly Uncial styles, the minuscule may only be a smaller, simpler variation of the majuscule form. Traditionally this differentiates it from Uncial lettering which consists of distinct characters.
Script means any type which is designed to resemble handwriting.
Italic refers to the slanted style of type introduced by Aldus Manutius in the 17th century and in general to any slanted or skewed font. All of the terms refer to early type styles based on the calligraphic style generally referred to as Quadrata. Black Letter is a general term for these styles. Gothic refers specifically to modern type used as the standard for text in Germany before World War I. Old English is an Anglo-American term for these same styles developed to divorce them from the German associations. All of these terms basically indicate that the font was designed to have the characteristics of early printed type.