dt element
If you don't know what an element is or how you must use it, I recommend you read the "HTML tags and attributes" tutorial that you can find in the HTML tutorials section.
Table of contents
Description
The dt
element represents a name in a description list (dl
). These names or terms are usually accompanied by a value or definition (dd
) that describes them. This type of lists can be used for different purposes like metadata topics and values, questions and answers, glossaries, vocabulary lists, etc.
Examples
Our first example consist of a cooking glossary represented by the elements dl
, dt
and dd
. Here you can see name-value lists in action and how each term (dt
) is associated with a definition (dd
).
<h1>Glossary of cooking terms</h1>
<dl>
<dt>Bake</dt>
<dd>To cook by dry heat, usually in the oven.</dd>
<dt>Boil</dt>
<dd>To heat a liquid until bubbles break continually on the surface.</dd>
<dt>Degrease</dt>
<dd>To remove fat from the surface of stews, soups, or stock. Usually cooled in the refrigerator so that fat hardens and is easily removed.</dd>
</dl>
Glossary of cooking terms
- Bake
- To cook by dry heat, usually in the oven.
- Boil
- To heat a liquid until bubbles break continually on the surface.
- Degrease
- To remove fat from the surface of stews, soups, or stock. Usually cooled in the refrigerator so that fat hardens and is easily removed.
In our second example we'll show a vocabulary reference where one definition is declared for two terms ("tomb" and "grave") and one term ("corpse") gets two definitions.
<h1>Vocabulary for the document</h1>
<dl>
<dt>Tomb</dt>
<dt>Grave</dt>
<dd>An excavation for the interment of a corpse; a place of burial.</dd>
<dt>Corpse</dt>
<dd>A dead body, especially the dead body of a human; cadaver.</dd>
<dd>(Theatre) <i>theatre</i> to laugh or cause to laugh involuntarily or inopportunely while on stage.</dd>
</dl>
Vocabulary for the document
- Tomb
- Grave
- An excavation for the interment of a corpse; a place of burial.
- Corpse
- A dead body, especially the dead body of a human; cadaver.
- (Theatre) theatre to laugh or cause to laugh involuntarily or inopportunely while on stage.
Attributes
Global attributes
For information about global attributes refer to this list of global attributes in HTML5.
Events
Global events
For information about global events refer to this list of global events in HTML5.