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The template {{glossary}} (a.k.a. {{glossary start}} or {{glossary begin}}) is used with {{glossary end}} to explicitly bracket a glossary or glossary-like description list (also called a definition list or association list), especially in a template-structured glossary, although such lists can be used more generally. This is required (as a technical matter) for template-structured glossaries, and is good practice anywhere description/definition lists are used for glossaries. The template pair invoke the <dl>...</dl> description list HTML element. Unfortunately, the "{{dl}}" mnemonic is not available as a redirect as of this writing.
The pair of templates incidentally prevent Wikipedia's MediaWiki software engine from auto-creating redundant definition list code (<dl>...</dl>) around terms and definitions if they have blank lines between them, as they often do, especially in non-structured glossaries.
Typical usage:
{{glossary}}
{{term|1=term}}
{{defn|1=Definition.}}
{{glossary end}}
Parameters
|id= can be used to assign a one-word ID name to the glossary. This can be used as a #id link target, and could have other metadata uses.|style= will pass CSS styling on to the <dl> element. I.e., this styles the definition list itself, as a container, not the individual terms and definitions with it. There is rarely any reason to do this.|class= will pass one or more space-separate CSS classes on to <dl> element, in addition to the automatically included class glossary. There is rarely any reason to do this.
Examples
This shows both a very simple then a rather complex instance in a structured glossary (including an entry with a block quotation, using the glossary block quotation template, {{gbq}}):
==A–M==
{{glossary}}
{{term|1=applesnorkel}}
{{defn|1=Definition of term 1.}}
{{term|term=arglefarst |content=''{{lang|xx|arglefarst}}''{{anchor|argle-farst|argle farst}} }}
{{defn|no=1 |defn=
Beginning of first definition of term 2
{{gbq|1=Block quotation in first definition of term 2.}}
Conclusion of first definition of term 2.
}}
{{defn|no=2 |defn=Second definition of term 2.}}
{{glossary end}}
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A–M
- applesnorkel
- Definition of term 1.
- arglefarst
- 1. Beginning of first definition of term 2
Block quotation in first definition of term 2.
Conclusion of first definition of term 2.
- 2. Second definition of term 2.
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Scope
This family of templates, like the underlying definition list code, is primarily intended for definitional uses, but can have other applications. The HTML 4.01 Specification itself says:
Definition lists...generally consist of a series of term/definition pairs (although definition lists may have other applications). Thus, when advertising a product, one might use a definition list:
- Lower cost
- The new version of this product costs significantly less than the previous one!
- Easier to use
- We've changed the product so that it's much easier to use!
- Safe for kids
- You can leave your kids alone in a room with this product and they won't get hurt (not a guarantee).
Thus, editors should feel free to use definition list markup as an alternative to bulleted or numbered lists when the material is well-suited to definition list presentation.
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