Glossary Term Definition
Numerals designed to harmonise with lowercase letters, having varying heights, ascenders and descenders; synonymous with old-style figures.
Definition
Numerals designed to harmonise with lowercase letters, having varying heights, ascenders and descenders. Text figures are synonymous with old-style figures. They are preferred for running text because they do not disrupt the colour of the page the way lining (titling) figures can.
Source
No access — Robert Bringhurst — p. 330:
Numerals designed to harmonise with lowercase letters.