Summary
The HTML <dfn>
element (or HTML Definition Element) represents the defining instance of a term.
HTML5 Usage Notes:
- The
<dfn>
element marks the term being defined; the definition of the term should be given by the surrounding {{HTMLElement("p")}}, {{HTMLElement("section")}} or definition list group (usually a {{HTMLElement("dt")}}, {{HTMLElement("dd")}} pair). - The exact value of the term being defined is determined by the following rules:
- If the
<dfn>
element has a title attribute, then the term is the value of that attribute. - Else, if it contains only an {{HTMLElement("abbr")}} element with a {{htmlattrxref("title", "abbr")}} attribute, then the term is the value of that attribute.
- Otherwise, the text content of the
<dfn>
element is the term being defined.
- If the
- Content categories Flow content, phrasing content, palpable content.
- Permitted content Phrasing content, but no {{HTMLElement("dfn")}} element must be a descendant.
- Tag omission {{no_tag_omission}}
- Permitted parent elements Any element that accepts phrasing content.
- DOM interface {{domxref("HTMLElement")}}
Attributes
This element includes the global attributes.
In HTML5, the title attribute has special meaning, as noted above.
Examples
The following examples are valid in HTML5.
<!-- Define "The Internet" --> <p><dfn id="def-internet">The Internet</dfn> is a global system of interconnected networks that use the Internet Protocol Suite (TCP/IP) to serve billions of users worldwide.</p>
Later in the same document:
<dl> <!-- Define "World-Wide Web" and reference definition for "the Internet" --> <dt> <dfn> <abbr title="World-Wide Web">WWW</abbr> </dfn> </dt> <dd>The World-Wide Web (WWW) is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed on <a href="#def-internet">the Internet</a>.</dd> </dl>
Specifications
Specification | Status | Comment |
---|---|---|
{{SpecName('HTML WHATWG', 'text-level-semantics.html#the-dfn-element', '<dfn>')}} | {{Spec2('HTML WHATWG')}} | |
{{SpecName('HTML5 W3C', 'text-level-semantics.html#the-dfn-element', '<dfn>')}} | {{Spec2('HTML5 W3C')}} | |
{{SpecName('HTML4.01', 'struct/text.html#h-9.2.1', '<dfn>')}} | {{Spec2('HTML4.01')}} |
Browser compatibility
{{CompatibilityTable}}
Feature | Chrome | Firefox (Gecko) | Internet Explorer | Opera | Safari |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Basic support | {{CompatVersionUnknown}} | {{CompatGeckoDesktop("1.0")}} | {{CompatVersionUnknown}} | {{CompatVersionUnknown}} | {{CompatVersionUnknown}} |
Feature | Android | Firefox Mobile (Gecko) | IE Mobile | Opera Mobile | Safari Mobile |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Basic support | {{CompatVersionUnknown}} | {{CompatGeckoMobile("1.0")}} | {{CompatVersionUnknown}} | {{CompatVersionUnknown}} | {{CompatVersionUnknown}} |
See also
- Elements related to definition lists: {{HTMLElement("dl")}}, {{HTMLElement("dt")}}, {{HTMLElement("dd")}}
- {{HTMLElement("abbr")}}
{{HTML:Element_Navigation}}