About This HTML Issue
The <dl> element is used in HTML to represent a description list. The element encloses a list of groups of terms (specified using the <dt> element) and descriptions (provided by <dd> elements). Common uses for this element are to implement a glossary or to display metadata (a list of key-value pairs).
For example, the following is a description list with a single term and its definition:
<dl>
<dt>Rocket Validator</dt>
<dd>
The fastest site-wide HTML and Accessibility checker.
</dd>
</dl>
Description lists also allow to specify different terms for the same definition, as in this example:
<dl>
<dt>Rocket Validator</dt>
<dt>Rocket</dt>
<dt>RV</dt>
<dd>
The fastest site-wide HTML and Accessibility checker.
</dd>
</dl>
Or, we can have a single term with multiple definitions:
<dl>
<dt>Rocket Validator</dt>
<dd>
The fastest site-wide HTML and Accessibility checker.
</dd>
<dd>
The web site you're browsing right now.
</dd>
</dl>
In all of these cases, a <dt> term always requires one (or more) <dd> definition elements, so the following is invalid because it’s incomplete, it has an undefined term:
<dl>
<dt>The Meaning of Life</dt>
</dl>
Learn more:
Last reviewed: March 08, 2023
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