HTML <dd> Tag

The HTML <dd> tag represents the description in a description list. More precisely, the <dd> element represents the description, definition, or value, part of a term-description group in a description list.

In a description list (also known as an association list or a definition list), each list item contains two or more entries; a term (dt) and a description (dd).

Note that a definition term can be linked to more than one description. There can also be multiple terms for a single description (for example, in the case where there are multiple spellings of a term being defined). In this case, each term must be enclosed in its own set of dt tags (there shouldn't be any more than one term within a single dt element).

Syntax

The <dd> tag is written as <dd></dd> with the definition description inserted between the start and end tag.

The tag must be used inside a <dl> element, and must follow either a <dt> element or another <dd> element.

Like this:

 
<dl>
    <dt>Term...</dt>
    <dd>Description...</dd>
    <dt>Term...</dt>
    <dd>Description...</dd>
</dl>

Examples

Basic tag usage

Here's an example of a basic description list.

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<dl>
  <dt>Vocals</dt>
  <dd>Big Mama Lee</dd>
  <dt>Guitar</dt>
  <dd>Scarcat Fraser</dd>
  <dt>Drums</dt>
  <dd>Bulldog Jones</dd>
</dl>

Using dfn to Define a Term

The dt element does not indicate that its contents are a term being defined. To indicate the defining instance of a term, use the dfn element.

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<h4>Zen Terms</h4>
<dl>
<dt><dfn>Arahat</dfn></dt>
<dd>The "Perfected One", who has overcome The Three Poisons of Desire, Hatred and Ignorance. </dd>
<dt><dfn>Bodhi</dfn></dt>
<dd>Awakened wisdom.</dd>
<dt><dfn>Zen</dfn></dt>
<dd>Meditative absorption in which all dualistic distinctions are eliminated.</dd>
</dl>

Multiple Terms

Here's an example of using multiple <dt> elements for a single <dd> element. 

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<dl>
  <dt>Vocals</dt>
  <dt>Rhythm Guitar</dt>
  <dd>Big Mama Lee</dd>
  <dt>Drums</dt>
  <dd>Bulldog Jones</dd>
  <dt>Lead Guitar</dt>
  <dt>Keyboards</dt>
  <dd>Scarcat Fraser</dd>
</dl>

Multiple <dd> Elements

You can have more than one <dd> element for each <dt> element (any given term could have multiple definitions). Each <dd> element provides a separate description.

In this example, I've added the CSS margin-bottom property to the <dd> element so that there's a small space between each definition description.

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<h4>Glossary</h4>
<dl>
<dt>Metal</dt>
<dd>A solid material that is typically hard, shiny, malleable, fusible, and ductile, with good electrical and thermal conductivity.</dd>
<dd>A genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the United Kingdom and the United States.</dd>
<dt>Rock</dt>
<dd>The solid mineral material forming part of the surface of the earth and other similar planets, exposed on the surface or underlying the soil or oceans.</dd>
<dd>A genre of popular music that originated as "rock and roll" in the United States in the 1950s, and developed into a range of different styles in the 1960s and later, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States.</dd>
</dl>

Nested Lists

You can have nested description lists if your descriptions are more complex. You can also have paragraphs and other elements.

In fact, the <dd> element can contain "flow content" so you can nest most other elements inside the <dd> element ("flow content" refers to most HTML elements that can appear within the <body> of an HTML document).

Here's an example of a description list that contains a <p> element, an ordered (<ol>) and unordered list (<ul>) among its definition descriptions.

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<h4>Zen Terms</h4>
<dl>
<dt><dfn>Four Noble Truths</dfn></dt>
<dd>
<ol>
<li>Life is suffering</li>
<li>Suffering is caused by desire</li>
<li>There is a path from desire and suffering</li>
<li>This path is the Eightfold Noble Path.</li>
</ol>
</dd>
<dt><dfn>Skandha</dfn></dt>
<p>The five aggregates, constituting what is generally known as the personality:</p>
<dd>
<ul>
<li>form</li>
<li>sensation</li>
<li>perception</li>
<li>mental formations</li>
<li>conciousness</li>
</ul>
</dd>
<dt><dfn>Zazen</dfn></dt>
<dd>Sitting meditation, taught in Zen as the most direct way to awakening.</dd>
</dl>

Attributes

Attributes can be added to an HTML element to provide more information about how the element should appear or behave.

The <dd> element accepts the following attributes.

AttributeDescription
None 

Global Attributes

The following attributes are standard across all HTML elements. Therefore, you can use these attributes with the <dd> tag , as well as with all other HTML tags.

For a full explanation of these attributes, see HTML 5 global attributes.

Event Handlers

Event handler content attributes enable you to invoke a script from within your HTML. The script is invoked when a certain "event" occurs. Each event handler content attribute deals with a different event.

Most event handler content attributes can be used on all HTML elements, but some event handlers have specific rules around when they can be used and which elements they are applicable to.

For more detail, see HTML event handler content attributes.