Usage
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)) ((defn)) ((glossary end))
Parameters
|id=can be used to assign a one-word ID name to the glossary. This can be used as a#idlink 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 classglossary. 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))
|
|
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.
See also
((glossary))a.k.a.((glossary start))or((glossary begin))– Half of a template pair; uses<dl>with a class to open the structured glossary definition list that((glossary end))closes.((glossary end))– The other half of this template pair; uses</dl>to close the definition list that((glossary))opens.((term))– The glossary term to which the((defn))definition applies; a customized<dt>with a class and an embedded<dfn>.((defn))– The definition that applies to the((term)); uses<dd>with a class((ghat))– a hatnote template properly formatted for the top of a((defn))definition((gbq))a.k.a.((gquote))– a block quotation template properly formatted for inclusion in a((defn))definition((glossary link))– meta-template for creating shortcut templates for linking to definitions in specific glossaries- Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Glossaries
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