The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Italic \I*tal"ic\, a. [L. Italicus: cf. F. italique. Cf.
   Italian.]
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   1. Relating to Italy or to its people.
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   2. Applied especially to a kind of type in which the letters
      do not stand upright, but slope toward the right; -- so
      called because dedicated to the States of Italy by the
      inventor, Aldus Manutius, about the year 1500.
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   Italic languages, the group or family of languages of
      ancient Italy.

   Italic order (Arch.), the composite order. See Composite.


   Italic school, a term given to the Pythagorean and Eleatic
      philosophers, from the country where their doctrines were
      first promulgated.

   Italic version. See Itala.
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