<dfn>: The Definition element - HTML

`Links to definitions`

To add links to the definitions, you create the link the same way you always do, with the element.

HTML html The HTML Definition element (<dfn>) is used to indicate the term being defined within the context of a definition phrase or sentence. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Graece donan, Latine voluptatem vocant. Confecta res esset. Duo Reges: constructio interrete. Scrupulum, inquam, abeunti; Because of all of that, we decided to use the <dfn> element for this project. Here we see the definition — now with an id attribute, "definition-dfn", which can be used as the target of a link. Later on, a link is created using with the href attribute set to "#definition-dfn" to set up the link back to the definition. Result

`Using abbreviations and definitions together`

In some cases, you may wish to use an abbreviation for a term when defining it. This can be done by using the and elements in tandem, like this:

HTML html The HST is among the most productive scientific instruments ever constructed. It has been in orbit for over 20 years, scanning the sky and returning data and photographs of unprecedented quality and detail. Indeed, the HST has arguably done more to advance science than any device ever built. Note the element nested inside the . The former establishes that the term is an abbreviation ("HST") and specifies the full term ("Hubble Space Telescope") in its title attribute. The latter indicates that the abbreviated term represents a term being defined. Result

`Technical summary`

Content categories	Flow content, phrasing content, palpable content.
Permitted content	Phrasing content, but no element must be a descendant.
Tag omission	None, both the starting and ending tag are mandatory.
Permitted parents	Any element that accepts phrasing content.
Implicit ARIA role	`term`
Permitted ARIA roles	Any
DOM interface	`HTMLElement`

`Specifications`

Specification
HTML # the-dfn-element

`Browser compatibility`

See also Elements related to definition lists: , , Help improve MDN Was this page helpful to you? Learn how to contribute.This page was last modified on Apr 10, 2025 by MDN contributors. View this page on GitHub • Report a problem with this content