dfn: The Definition element

The <dfn> HTML element is used to indicate the term being defined within the context of a definition phrase or sentence. The ancestor <p> element, the <dt>/<dd> pairing, or the nearest ancestor <section> element is considered to be the definition of the term.

Attributes

Specific attributes

Recommended attributes

title="[definition]" represents the definition of the term. If the title attribute is present, it must contain only the term being defined and nothing else.

Global attributes

accesskey Specifies a keyboard shortcut to activate or focus an element.

aria-* Defines accessibility properties and states for assistive technologies.

class Specifies one or more CSS class names for styling the element.

data-* Stores custom data private to the page or application.

dir Sets the text direction (left-to-right, right-to-left, or auto).

hidden Hides the element from display and assistive technologies.

id Defines a unique identifier for the element within the document.

inputmode Hints which virtual keyboard type to display on mobile devices.

itemid Provides a global identifier for microdata items.

itemprop Defines a property name-value pair for microdata.

itemref Associates properties with an item via element IDs for microdata.

itemscope Creates a new microdata item container.

itemtype Specifies the vocabulary URL for microdata items (like Schema.org).

lang Specifies the primary language of the element’s content.

nonce Provides a cryptographic nonce for Content Security Policy.

role Defines the element’s semantic role for accessibility.

tabindex Controls keyboard navigation order and focusability.

title Provides advisory information displayed as a tooltip.

Example

<p>The <dfn title="A community of independent personal websites">IndieWeb</dfn> is a movement focused on owning your online identity and content.</p>

<p>When you practice <dfn>POSSE</dfn> (Publish on your Own Site, Syndicate Elsewhere), you maintain control over your content while still reaching audiences on social platforms.</p>

<p>A <dfn title="Static Site Generator">SSG</dfn> is a tool that builds websites from source files, popular among IndieWeb developers for its simplicity and security.</p>

<section>
  <h3>Web Standards</h3>
  <p><dfn>Webmention</dfn> is a web standard that allows websites to notify each other when they link to each other, enabling distributed conversations across independent websites.</p>
  
  <p><dfn title="Structured data markup for web content">Microformats</dfn> provide a way to add semantic meaning to HTML, making content machine-readable while remaining human-friendly.</p>
</section>