<dl>: The Description List element

The <dl> HTML element represents 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).

Content categories Flow content, and if the <dl> element's children include one name-value group, palpable content.
Permitted content

Either: Zero or more groups each consisting of one or more <dt> elements followed by one or more <dd> elements, optionally intermixed with <script> and <template> elements.
Or: (in WHATWG HTML, W3C HTML 5.2 and later) One or more <div> elements, optionally intermixed with <script> and <template> elements.

Tag omission None, both the starting and ending tag are mandatory.
Permitted parents Any element that accepts flow content.
Implicit ARIA role No corresponding role
Permitted ARIA roles group, list, none, presentation
DOM interface HTMLDListElement

Attributes

This element only includes the global attributes.

Examples

Single term and description

<dl>
  <dt>Firefox</dt>
  <dd>
    A free, open source, cross-platform,
    graphical web browser developed by the
    Mozilla Corporation and hundreds of
    volunteers.
  </dd>

  <!-- Other terms and descriptions -->
</dl>

Multiple terms, single description

<dl>
  <dt>Firefox</dt>
  <dt>Mozilla Firefox</dt>
  <dt>Fx</dt>
  <dd>
    A free, open source, cross-platform,
    graphical web browser developed by the
    Mozilla Corporation and hundreds of
    volunteers.
  </dd>

  <!-- Other terms and descriptions -->
</dl>

Single term, multiple descriptions

<dl>
  <dt>Firefox</dt>
  <dd>
    A free, open source, cross-platform,
    graphical web browser developed by the
    Mozilla Corporation and hundreds of
    volunteers.
  </dd>
  <dd>
    The Red Panda also known as the Lesser
    Panda, Wah, Bear Cat or Firefox, is a
    mostly herbivorous mammal, slightly larger
    than a domestic cat (60 cm long).
  </dd>

  <!-- Other terms and descriptions -->
</dl>

Multiple terms and descriptions

It is also possible to define multiple terms with multiple corresponding descriptions, by combining the examples above.

Metadata

Description lists are useful for displaying metadata as a list of key-value pairs.

<dl>
  <dt>Name</dt>
  <dd>Godzilla</dd>
  <dt>Born</dt>
  <dd>1952</dd>
  <dt>Birthplace</dt>
  <dd>Japan</dd>
  <dt>Color</dt>
  <dd>Green</dd>
</dl>

Tip: It can be handy to define a key-value separator in the CSS, such as:

dt::after {
  content: ": ";
}

Wrapping name-value groups in div elements

WHATWG HTML allows wrapping each name-value group in a <dl> element in a <div> element. This can be useful when using microdata, or when global attributes apply to a whole group, or for styling purposes.

<dl>
  <div>
    <dt>Name</dt>
    <dd>Godzilla</dd>
  </div>
  <div>
    <dt>Born</dt>
    <dd>1952</dd>
  </div>
  <div>
    <dt>Birthplace</dt>
    <dd>Japan</dd>
  </div>
  <div>
    <dt>Color</dt>
    <dd>Green</dd>
  </div>
</dl>

Notes

Do not use this element (nor <ul> elements) to merely create indentation on a page. Although it works, this is a bad practice and obscures the meaning of description lists.

To change the indentation of a description term, use the CSS margin property.

Accessibility concerns

Each screen reader announces <dl> content differently. As of iOS 14, VoiceOver will announce that <dl> content is a list when navigating with the virtual cursor (not via the read-all command). Because of this, make sure each list item's content is written in such a way that it communicates its relationship to the other list items in the list grouping.

Specifications

Specification
HTML Standard
# the-dl-element

Browser compatibility

BCD tables only load in the browser

See also