###### 3.1.1.2.6 dl

A definition list (<dl>) is a list of terms and corresponding definitions. The term (<dt>) is usually flush left. The description or definition (<dd>) is usually either indented and on the next line, or on the same line to the right of the term. However, actual rendering is up to the rendering engine.

You can also provide an optional heading for the terms and definitions, using the <dlhead> element, which contains header elements for those columns. The default formatting for the <dlhead> generally looks like a table with a heading row, but this is also up to the rendering engine.

###### Contains

Doctype | Content model
topic, map, concept, ditabase, glossary, glossentry, glossgroup, reference, task, bookmap, classifyMap, subjectScheme, machineryTask, learningAssessment, learningBookmap, learningContent, learningMap, learningOverview, learningPlan, learningSummary | ( (dlhead) (optional) then (dlentry) (one or more) )

###### Contained by

Doctype | Content model
topic (base) | desc, p, note, lq, li, itemgroup, dd, fig, figgroup, stentry, draft-comment, fn, entry, abstract, body, bodydiv, section, sectiondiv, example, linkinfo
map (base), classifyMap, subjectScheme, learningBookmap, learningMap | desc, p, note, lq, li, itemgroup, dd, fig, figgroup, stentry, draft-comment, fn, entry
topic (technical content) | desc, p, note, lq, li, itemgroup, dd, fig, figgroup, stentry, draft-comment, fn, entry, abstract, body, bodydiv, section, sectiondiv, example, linkinfo, pd
map (technical content), bookmap | desc, p, note, lq, li, itemgroup, dd, fig, figgroup, stentry, draft-comment, fn, entry, pd
concept | desc, p, note, lq, li, itemgroup, dd, fig, figgroup, stentry, draft-comment, fn, entry, abstract, body, bodydiv, section, sectiondiv, example, linkinfo, conbody, pd
ditabase | desc, p, note, lq, li, itemgroup, dd, fig, figgroup, stentry, draft-comment, fn, entry, abstract, body, bodydiv, section, sectiondiv, example, linkinfo, conbody, prereq, context, steps-informal, stepsection, info, tutorialinfo, stepxmp, choice, choptionhd, chdeschd, choption, chdesc, stepresult, result, postreq, refsyn, proptypehd, propvaluehd, propdeschd, propdesc, glossdef, glossUsage, glossScopeNote, pd
glossary, glossentry, glossgroup | desc, p, note, lq, li, itemgroup, dd, fig, figgroup, stentry, draft-comment, fn, entry, abstract, body, bodydiv, section, sectiondiv, example, linkinfo, conbody, glossdef, glossUsage, glossScopeNote, pd
reference | desc, p, note, lq, li, itemgroup, dd, fig, figgroup, stentry, draft-comment, fn, entry, abstract, body, bodydiv, section, sectiondiv, example, linkinfo, refsyn, proptypehd, propvaluehd, propdeschd, propdesc, pd
task (strict), task (general) | desc, p, note, lq, li, itemgroup, dd, fig, figgroup, stentry, draft-comment, fn, entry, abstract, body, bodydiv, section, sectiondiv, example, linkinfo, prereq, context, steps-informal, stepsection, info, tutorialinfo, stepxmp, choice, choptionhd, chdeschd, choption, chdesc, stepresult, result, postreq, pd
machineryTask | desc, p, note, lq, li, itemgroup, dd, fig, figgroup, stentry, draft-comment, fn, entry, abstract, body, bodydiv, section, sectiondiv, example, linkinfo, prereq, context, steps-informal, stepsection, info, tutorialinfo, stepxmp, choice, choptionhd, chdeschd, choption, chdesc, stepresult, result, postreq, reqcond, reqcontp, personnel, perscat, perskill, esttime, supequi, supply, spare, safecond
learningAssessment, learningOverview, learningSummary | desc, p, note, lq, li, itemgroup, dd, fig, figgroup, stentry, draft-comment, fn, entry, abstract, body, bodydiv, section, sectiondiv, example, linkinfo, lcIntro, lcAudience, lcPrereqs, lcSummary, lcNextSteps, lcReview, lcResources, lcChallenge, lcInstruction, lcInteractionBase, lcInstructornote
learningContent | desc, p, note, lq, li, itemgroup, dd, fig, figgroup, stentry, draft-comment, fn, entry, abstract, body, bodydiv, section, sectiondiv, example, linkinfo, lcIntro, lcAudience, lcPrereqs, lcSummary, lcNextSteps, lcReview, lcResources, lcChallenge, lcInstruction, prereq, context, steps-informal, stepsection, info, tutorialinfo, stepxmp, choice, choptionhd, chdeschd, choption, chdesc, stepresult, result, postreq, conbody, refsyn, proptypehd, propvaluehd, propdeschd, propdesc, lcInteractionBase, lcInstructornote
learningPlan | desc, p, note, lq, li, itemgroup, dd, fig, figgroup, stentry, draft-comment, fn, entry, abstract, body, bodydiv, section, sectiondiv, example, linkinfo, lcIntro, lcAudience, lcPrereqs, lcSummary, lcNextSteps, lcReview, lcResources, lcChallenge, lcInstruction, lcClient, lcPlanTitle, lcCIN, lcModDate, lcDelivDate, lcPlanSubject, lcPlanDescrip, lcPlanPrereqs, lcGeneralDescription, lcGoals, lcNeeds, lcValues, lcOrgConstraints, lcEdLevel, lcAge, lcBackground, lcSkills, lcKnowledge, lcMotivation, lcSpecChars, lcWorkEnvDescription, lcPlanResources, lcProcesses, lcTaskItem, lcAttitude, lcPlanObjective, lcJtaItem, lcGapItemDelta, lcLearnStrat, lcAssessment, lcDelivery, lcLMS, lcNoLMS, lcHandouts, lcClassroom, lcOJT, lcConstraints, lcW3C, lcPlayers, lcGraphics, lcViewers, lcResolution, lcFileSizeLimitations, lcDownloadTime, lcSecurity, lcInteractionBase, lcInstructornote

###### Inheritance

- topic/dl

###### Examples

Figure 3-5 Simple definition list example

    <dl>
    <dlentry>
    <dt>Bytes returned</dt>
    <dd>The number of bytes of data returned.</dd>
    </dlentry>
    <dlentry>
    <dt>Bytes available</dt>
    <dd>The number of bytes of data available to be returned.</dd>
    </dlentry>
    <dlentry><dt>Handle</dt>
    <dd>The returned handle value</dd>
    </dlentry>
    </dl>

Figure 3-6 Definition list with a heading

    <dl>
     <dlhead>
      <dthd>Image File View Selection</dthd>
      <ddhd>Resulting Information</ddhd>
     </dlhead>
     <dlentry>
      <dt>File Type</dt>
      <dd>Image's file extension</dd>
     </dlentry>
     <dlentry>
      <dt>Image Class</dt>
      <dd>Image is raster, vector, metafile or 3D</dd>
     </dlentry>
     <dlentry>
      <dt>Number of pages</dt>
      <dd>Number of pages in the image</dd>
     </dlentry>
     <dlentry>
      <dt>Fonts</dt>
      <dd>Names of the fonts contained within a vector image</dd>
     </dlentry>
    </dl>

Rendering of definition lists will vary by application and by display format. The second example may, but need not, be rendered as follows.

Image File View Selection

Resulting Information

File Type

Image's file extension

Image Class

Image is raster, vector, metafile or 3D

Number of pages

Number of pages in the image

Fonts

Names of the fonts contained within a vector image

###### Attributes

Name | Description | Data Type | Default Value | Required?
compact | Indicates close vertical spacing between the list items. Expanded spacing is the default value. The output result of compact spacing depends on the processor or browser. Allowed values are: yes Indicates compact spacing. no Indicates expanded spacing. | (yes | no | -dita-use-​conref-​target) | #IMPLIED | No
spectitle | The specialized title attribute allows architects of specialized types to define a fixed or default title for a specialized element. Not intended for direct use by authors. | CDATA | #IMPLIED | No
univ-atts attribute group (includes select-atts, id-atts, and localization-atts groups) | A set of related attributes, described in 3.4.1.3 univ-atts attribute group |  |  |
global-atts attribute group (xtrf, xtrc) | A set of related attributes, described in 3.4.1.2 global-atts attribute group |  |  |
class, outputclass | Common attributes described in 3.4.1.9 Other common DITA attributes |  |  |

Previous Topic: 3.1.1.2.5 ddhd

Next Topic: 3.1.1.2.7 dlentry

Parent Topic: 3.1.1.2 Body elements

Sibling Topics:

3.1.1.2.1 alt

3.1.1.2.2 cite

3.1.1.2.3 dd

3.1.1.2.4 desc

3.1.1.2.5 ddhd

3.1.1.2.7 dlentry

3.1.1.2.8 dlhead

3.1.1.2.9 dt

3.1.1.2.10 draft-comment

3.1.1.2.11 dthd

3.1.1.2.12 example

3.1.1.2.13 fig

3.1.1.2.14 figgroup

3.1.1.2.15 fn

3.1.1.2.16 image

3.1.1.2.17 keyword

3.1.1.2.18 li

3.1.1.2.19 lines

3.1.1.2.20 longdescref

3.1.1.2.21 longquoteref

3.1.1.2.22 lq

3.1.1.2.23 object

3.1.1.2.24 note

3.1.1.2.25 ol

3.1.1.2.26 p

3.1.1.2.27 param

3.1.1.2.28 ph

3.1.1.2.29 pre

3.1.1.2.30 q

3.1.1.2.31 section

3.1.1.2.32 sectiondiv

3.1.1.2.33 sl

3.1.1.2.34 sli

3.1.1.2.35 term

3.1.1.2.36 text

3.1.1.2.37 tm

3.1.1.2.38 ul

3.1.1.2.39 xref