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  1. References
  2. HTML
  3. Reference
  4. Elements
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In this article

  • Try it
  • Attributes
  • Examples
  • Notes
  • Technical summary
  • Specifications
  • Browser compatibility
  • See also
  1. HTML
  2. Guides
  3. Content categories
  4. Comments
  5. Date and time formats
  6. Constraint validation
  7. Viewport meta element
  8. Responsive images
  9. Microdata
  10. Microformats
  11. Quirks and standards modes
  12. HTML cheatsheet
  13. How to
  14. Define terms with HTML
  15. Use data attributes
  16. Use cross-origin images
  17. Add a hitmap on top of an image
  18. Author fast-loading HTML pages
  19. Add JavaScript
  20. Reference
  21. Elements
    3. Deprecated
    13. Deprecated

    20. Deprecated
    32. Deprecated
    38. Experimental
    42. Deprecated
    45. Deprecated
    46. Deprecated

CSS alternative

html

  This is the first sentence.
  This whole sentence is in small letters.
css
.small {
  font-size: 0.8em;
}

Result

Notes

Although the element, like the and elements, may be perceived to violate the principle of separation between structure and presentation, all three are valid in HTML. Authors are encouraged to use their best judgement when determining whether to use or CSS.

Technical summary

Content categories Flow content, phrasing content.
Permitted content Phrasing content
Tag omission None; must have both a start tag and an end tag.
Permitted parents Any element that accepts phrasing content, or any element that accepts flow content.
Implicit ARIA role generic
Permitted ARIA roles Any
DOM interface HTMLElement

Specifications

Specification
HTML
# the-small-element

Browser compatibility

See also

  • and