Definition List

Support Key: [2|3|3.2|4] [X1|X1.1] [IE1|M1|N1|O2.1]
What is it?
Attributes
Tag Example
Parent/Content Model
Tips & Tricks
Browser Peculiarities
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   Quick Statistics   
End Tag:
   Required
Standards Details:
HTML: In all 4.x DTDs
XHTML: In all 1.0 and 1.1 DTDs
XHTML Modules:
List
CSS 'display' Type:
"block"
CSS Mapping:
NA
Default Rendering:
Block element with DT and DD sub-elements. Possible left margin
Official Docs:
HTML 4.x, XHTML 1.1
What is it?
The Definition List element represents a list of terms and corresponding definitions. Typical formatting of a definition list is flush left for the term (DT) with the definition (DD) indented on a separate line (block formatted.) An alternate method of display is to have the DD item indented on the same line as the DT to more strongly associate the term/definition relationship.

The contents of this list structure is a sequence of DT and DD terms (this is the only list structure in which the DT and DD elements are allowed to appear, and they are usually found in pairs.) Multiple DT terms may be paired with a single DD term, but should not be paired with multiple consecutive DD elements. As with other list content elements, the closing </dt> and </dd> tags are optional optional in HTML (required in XHTML), as they are implied by the subsequent list items or end </dl> tags.

Common Attributes
%Core%
[2|3|3.2|4] [X1|X1.1] [IE3|M|N4B2|O3.5]
%Accessibility%
[2|3|3.2|4] [X1|X1.1] [IE4B1|M|N6|O5]
%Events%
[2|3|3.2|4] [X1|X1.1] [IE4B1|M|N6B1|O4]
%Language%
[2|3|3.2|4] [X1|X1.1] [IE4|M|N6B1|O]
%Editing%
[2|3|3.2|4] [X1|X1.1] [IE5.5|M|N|O]

Specific Attributes
Align
[2|3|3.2|4] [X1|X1.1] [IE|M|N|O4]
Standards Details: NA
Required? No
Description:
This indicates the horizontal alignment of the content in this block element relative to the browser window.
Values: Left [DEFAULT] | Center | Right
Clear
[2|3|3.2|4] [X1|X1.1] [IE|M|N|O2.1-6.x]
Standards Details: NA
Required? No
Description:
This attribute helps an author in situations with floating objects (images, tables, etc.) produced through the Left and Right ALIGN attributes. It allows content to stop being flowed around the floated element.
Values:
   None [DEFAULT - No special line breaking effects are applied relative to the floating element.]
   Left [breaks line after this element and moves down vertically until the left margin is clear of floated objects.]
   Right [breaks line after this element and moves down vertically until the right margin is clear of floated objects.]
   All [breaks line after this element and moves down vertically until both margins are clear of floated objects.]
Compact
[2|3|3.2|4] [X1|X1.1] [IE4B1|M|N1-N4.x|O]
Standards Details: NA
Required? No
Description:
This is a stand alone attribute flag that indicates a compact rendering be used if possible, possibly because the list items are small or the entire list is large.
Values: NA (HTML); compact (XHTML)
Height
[2|3|3.2|4] [X1|X1.1] [IE|M|N|O4-6.x]
Standards Details: NA
Required? No
Description:
This attribute explicitly specifies the height of this block element in pixels.
Values: Positive integers.
SDAForm
[2|3|3.2|4] [X1|X1.1] [IE|M|N|O]
Standards Details: NA
Required? No
Description:
This is an SGML Document Access (SDA) attribute. SDA attributes are designed to transform HTML (and other SGML-based documents) to the ICADD DTD - which is used in creating accessible documents for users with visual disabilities (rendering in Braille, large print, speech synthesis, etc.) The attribute value specifies the name of the element to convert this element to in the SDA element group (in this case the 'List' element - "list of items".) SDA also allows attributes and values from the original element to be used in the new SDA element where necessary.
Value: List (Denotes a 'list of items' in SDA.)
SDAPref
[2|3|3.2|4] [X1|X1.1] [IE|M|N|O]
Standards Details: NA
Required? No
Description:
This is an SGML Document Access (SDA) attribute. SDA attributes are designed to transform HTML (and other SGML-based documents) to the ICADD DTD - which is used in creating accessible documents for users with visual disabilities (rendering in Braille, large print, speech synthesis, etc.) The attribute value specifies content to be added BEFORE the original element content (in this case the string "Definition List:") when the SDA document is rendered.
Value: "Definition List:"
Width
[2|3|3.2|4] [X1|X1.1] [IE|M|N|O4-6.x]
Standards Details: NA
Required? No
Description:
This attribute explicitly specifies the width of this block element in pixels.
Values: Positive integers.
Markup example and Tests
<dl>
<dt>Term 1</dt>
   <dd>Term 1 definition</dd>
<dt>Term 2</dt>
   <dd>Term 2 definition</dd>
</dl>
Parent Model
%Block Parent%
Content Model
<dd> | <dt>
Tips & Tricks Browser Peculiarities
Boring Copyright Stuff...