# The element “h3” must not appear as a descendant of the “dt” element. > Canonical HTML version: https://rocketvalidator.com/html-validation/the-element-h3-must-not-appear-as-a-descendant-of-the-dt-element > Attribution: Rocket Validator (https://rocketvalidator.com) > License: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Heading elements like `h3` cannot be placed inside a `dt` element because `dt` only accepts phrasing content, and headings are flow content. The `

` element represents a term in a description list (`

` can only contain phrasing content — things like text, ``, ``, ``, and similar inline-level elements. Heading elements (` ` through ` `) are flow content, not phrasing content, so nesting them inside ` ` is invalid. If you need the text inside ` ` to look like a heading, use CSS to style it instead. Alternatively, if the heading is meant to introduce a group of terms, place it before the ` ` or use the `` element inside the ` ` for emphasis on the term being defined. ## Invalid Example ```html Term Title Description of the term. ``` ## Valid Example Style the ` ` directly with CSS to achieve the visual appearance you want: ```html Term Title Description of the term. ``` If the heading is meant to introduce the entire list, place it outside: ```html Section Title Term Description of the term. ```
` is invalid. If you need the text inside `
` to look like a heading, use CSS to style it instead. Alternatively, if the heading is meant to introduce a group of terms, place it before the ` ` or use the `` element inside the ` ` for emphasis on the term being defined. ## Invalid Example ```html Term Title Description of the term. ``` ## Valid Example Style the ` ` directly with CSS to achieve the visual appearance you want: ```html Term Title Description of the term. ``` If the heading is meant to introduce the entire list, place it outside: ```html Section Title Term Description of the term. ```

` through `

Term Title

Section Title