Introduction
The <dt> tag in HTML is used inside a description list (<dl>) to define a term or name in the list. It is followed by a <dd> tag, which provides the description or definition of the term. This tag is commonly used for glossaries, metadata, and key-value pairs.
In this article, you will learn about the syntax, usage, and examples of the <dt> tag in HTML.
Definition & Usage
The `<dt>` tag in HTML stands for "definition term." It is used inside a definition list, which is created using the `<dl>` tag. A definition list is a way to display terms & their corresponding descriptions or explanations. The `<dt>` tag specifies the term, while the `<dd>` tag is used to provide the description or definition of that term. This structure helps organize content in a clear & logical manner.
For example, if you are creating a glossary of technical terms or explaining key concepts, the `<dt>` tag can be very helpful. It ensures that the term & its explanation are grouped together, making it easier for users to follow.
Let’s discuss an example of how the `<dt>` tag is used in a complete HTML code:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
<title>Definition List Example</title>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Glossary of Terms</h1>
<dl>
<dt>HTML</dt>
<dd>HyperText Markup Language is the standard language used to create web pages.</dd>
<dt>CSS</dt>
<dd>Cascading Style Sheets is used to style & format the layout of web pages.</dd>
<dt>JavaScript</dt>
<dd>A programming language that adds interactivity & dynamic behavior to web pages.</dd>
</dl>
</body>
</html>
Output
In this example:
- The `<dl>` tag starts the definition list.
- Each term, like "HTML," "CSS," & "JavaScript," is wrapped inside the `<dt>` tag.
- The `<dd>` tag provides the description for each term.
When you open this code in a browser, it will display the terms on one line & their descriptions indented below them. This makes the content easy to read & understand.
The `<dt>` tag is not used alone; it works as part of a group with `<dl>` & `<dd>`. Without these tags, the structure would not make sense. For example, using just `<dt>` without `<dd>` would leave the term without an explanation, which defeats the purpose of a definition list.
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