HTML <dt> Element
The <dt> element represents a term or name within a <dl> description list. It is followed by one or more <dd> elements that provide the description, definition, or value associated with that term.
Syntax
<dl>
<dt>HTML</dt>
<dd>A markup language used to structure web page content.</dd>
</dl>The <dt> element identifies the term or name, while the following <dd> element provides its associated description or value.
Attributes
The <dt> element supports the global HTML attributes. It does not have any element-specific attributes.
Example
The following example uses <dt> elements to identify several web development terms within a description list:
Usage Notes
The <dt> element is used within a <dl> element and identifies a term, name, or other item that is associated with one or more descriptions.
More than one <dt> element can appear before a <dd> element when several terms share the same description. A single term can also be followed by multiple <dd> elements when it has more than one description or value.
The <dt> element does not automatically mean that its contents are a dictionary definition. Description lists can represent many kinds of name-and-value or term-and-description relationships.
Do not use <dt> outside a description list or simply to make text appear visually different. Use CSS for presentation and choose HTML elements according to the meaning of the content.
Accessibility
Using <dt> with properly structured <dl> and <dd> elements helps preserve the relationship between each term and its associated descriptive content for browsers and assistive technologies.
Keep terms concise and make their associated descriptions clear so visitors can easily understand the relationship when navigating or reading the list in sequence.
Browser Support
Baseline: Widely available indicates a feature has been supported by core browsers for at least 30 months. At this stage, the feature is considered stable and safe for most websites to use without needing to worry about compatibility issues or fallbacks, as it is supported by the vast majority of users' devices and browser versions.
For detailed browser compatibility information, see Can I Use: HTML <dt> Element .
Related Elements
<dl> - Represents a description list containing groups of terms and descriptions.
<dd> - Provides a description, definition, or value associated with a term in a description list.
<dfn> - Identifies a term that is being defined by the surrounding content.