A highlighter is a type of writing device used to mark attention to sections of text by marking them with

a vivid, translucent colour.[1] A typical highlighter is fluorescent yellow, coloured with pyranine.
Different compounds, such as rhodamines (Rhodamine 6GD, Rhodamine B) are used for other colours.
[2]
A highlighter is a marker filled with transparent fluorescent ink instead of black or opaque ink. The first
highlighter was invented by Dr. Frank Honn in 1962 [3] and produced by Carter's Ink Company, using the
trademarked name HI-LITER. Avery Dennison Corporation now owns the brand, having acquired Carter's
Ink Company in 1975.[4]
Many highlighters come in bright, often fluorescent and vibrant colors. Being fluorescent, highlighter ink
glows under black light.[5] The most common color for highlighters is yellow, but they are also found in
orange, red, pink, purple, blue, and green varieties. Some yellow highlighters may look greenish in
colour to the naked eye. Yellow is the preferred color to use when making a photocopy as it will not
produce a shadow on the copy. Yet, the use of different colour highlighters simultaneously can
systematically make information even more organized and readable and in high contrast.

Highlighters are available in multiple forms, including some that have a retractable felt tip or an eraser
on the end opposite the felt. Other types of highlighters include the trilighter, a triangularly-shaped pen
with a different-coloured tip at each corner, and ones that are stackable. There are also some forms of
highlighters that have a wax-like quality similar to an oil pastel.

"Dry highlighters" (occasionally called "dry line highlighters") have an applicator that applies a thin strip
of highlighter tape (physically similar to audio tape) instead of a felt tip. Unlike standard highlighters,
they are easily erasable. They are different from "dry mark highlighters", which are sometimes
advertised as being useful for highlighting books with thin pages.

"Gel highlighters" contain a gel stick rather than a felt tip. The gel does not bleed through paper or
become dried out in the pen as other highlighters' inks may.

"Liquid Highlighters" in a range of colours are also available, and because they put more ink on a page
when highlighting, make words stand out more than with non-liquid types. Also the fact that more
highlighting ink is put on the page with liquid highlighters means that the highlighting ink is much more
resistive to fading with age.

"Pastel Highlighters" uses pastel dyes instead of fluosent dyes.

The average highlight length is 5 inches.