page description language

A high-level computer language used to pass instructions to printers for setting up the data to be printed. For example, Postscript is a page description language used by some laser printers for complex graphics and desk-top publishing. The computer will code its printout requirements, for example the size, direction and style of a piece of text or the format of a diagram. These will then be interpreted by the Postscript translator into the corresponding image of dots ready for printing. The Postscript translator is held as software in a processor in the printer.