Template:Defn
Usage
The template {{defn}} is used in template-structured glossaries to create definitions of terms.
It is a wrapper for <dd>...</dd>, the description list definition HTML element. The template has a mnemonic redirect at {{dd}}.
Basic usage:
{{glossary}}
{{term|1=term}}
{{defn|1=Definition.}}
{{glossary end}}
Links, inline templates, reference citations, wikimarkup styles, etc., can be applied to the definition. Technically, the |1= part is optional if the content of the definition does not contain the "=" character, but as any editors can add content, including templates with this character in them, it is always safest to explicitly name the parameter. The |1= parameter can also be called |defn= for those who don't care for numeric parameters.
- This will work:
{{defn|1=The concept that the mass of a body is a measure of its energy content, expressed by the formula E=MC²}} - This will work:
{{defn|defn=The concept that the mass of a body is a measure of its energy content, expressed by the formula E=MC²}} - This will fail:
{{defn|The concept that the mass of a body is a measure of its energy content, expressed by the formula E=MC²}}
More complex usage is typically:
{{defn|defn=Definition. |no=# |term=term_id}}
where |no=# gives a leading number for a definition in a list of definitions, and |term=term_id provides the name of the term used in the {{Term}} template to which this definition pertains.
Images, hatnotes and other content
Images, hatnotes and other "add-in" content intended to immediately follow the {{term}} must be used at the top of (inside) the first {{defn}} of the {{term}}. They cannot be placed between the {{term}} and {{defn}} or it will break the glossary markup. Images can, of course, be placed elsewhere within the {{defn}}, and bottom-notes like {{more}} can be placed at the ends of but inside {{defn}}s.
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Multiple definitions for one term
If a single {{term}} has multiple definitions, they are simply numbered with the |2=parameter explicitly. Think of the parameter as standing for "2nd or later definition". You can also call it |no=, if you prefer (from "No.") Example:
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Because of the uneven length of definitions, it is usually more convenient to put the |2= before the |1= description:
{{defn |2=1 |1=Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet.}}
or
{{defn |no=1 |1=Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet.}}
This is a very robust method, because it permits complex content like block quotations, nested lists, {{main}} cross-reference hatnotes, and other block-level markup inside each definition. The definitions can also be independently linked.
Use of a hatnote with a numbered definition requires manual numbering or it will look weird:
{{term|1=blackjack|content=blackjack{{anchor|Blackjack}} }}
{{defn|1={{main|Blackjack}}
1. A card game in which players attempt to approach 21 but not exceed it.
}}
{{defn|no=2|1=The best possible hand in the game of blackjack, made up of an ace and a card valued at 10 (namely, 10, J, Q, K). }}
Making the definition independently linkable
Most of the restrictions on the content of id have been removed, so id values no longer have to begin with an [a-z][A-Z] alphabetic character, avoid most punctuation marks, or suffer other such limitations. Wikipedia's MediaWiki engine is smart enough to auto-escape any problematic characters, on the fly.
{{term}} (or it must be the |id=foo value, if any, used in {{term}}). This must be unique on the page for each term, but should be the same for multiple definitions of the same term). This is done with the {{defn}}'s |term= parameter. This will produce a #-link target ID in the form term-defn#, where the # is the number of the definition (see #Multiple definitions for one term, above), defaulting to "1". Example:
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HTML output:
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Note that some characters in snorkelweasel (noun)" have been converted on the fly by MediaWikia by the time it sends the ID to the browser as snorkelweasel_.28noun.29-defn1. You can still link to it on this page as #snorkelweasel (noun)-defn1 (view page source and see for yourself – that link has href=#snorkelweasel_.28noun.29-defn1).
The IDs blubbermonster-defn1, blubbermonster-defn2, and snorkelweasel_(noun)-defn1 are all individually linkable, e.g. as [[Glossary of weird terms#blubbermonster-defn1]]. This is especially useful for cross-references within the glossary, e.g. See also [[#blubbermonster-defn2|"blubbermonster", sense 2]].
To add more than one linkable anchor, use the {{anchor}} template at the beginning of the definition's content:
{{defn|no=2|1={{anchor|elit|Elit}}Consectetur adipisicing elit.|term=blubbermonster}}
Languages
There is no |lang= parameter, as on English Wikipedia all definitions are necessarily in English. For uses of glossary markup for non-glossary purposes in which some content may be in a foreign language, use language templates. E.g. in a list of film title translations formatted using glossary markup:
{{glossary}}
{{term|1=Titles of La Vie en Rose in various languages |content=Titles of ''[[La Vie en Rose]]'' in various languages}}
{{defn|1=French: ''{{lang|fr|La Vie en Rose}}''}}
{{defn|1=English: ''Life in Pink''}}
...
{{glossary end}}
Examples
This shows both a very simple then a rather complex instance:
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Applying CSS styles to the definition
The |style= parameter will pass CSS styling on to the <dd> element, e.g. |style=font-family:serif; or whatever. I.e., this styles the definition itself, not the term it applies to, other defintiions, or the glossary as a whole. This feature is rarely if ever needed in articles, but can be useful elsewhere for things like matching custom user page style.
Other parameters
The |id= parameter can be used to assign a one-word, case-sensitive ID name to definition. It must be unique on the page. This can be used as a #link target, and could have other metadata uses. See the #Making the definition independently linkable section for how to normally make a definition linkable. Probably the only reason to use this feature is if there are two terms with the same name on the page, which would result in conflicting IDs.
The |class= parameter will pass one or more space-separated CSS classes on to <dd> element, in addition to the automatically included class glossary. There is rarely any reason to do this.
Template:Glossary
Usage
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The template The pair of templates incidentally prevent Wikipedia's MediaWiki software engine from auto-creating redundant definition list code ( Typical usage:
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}}):
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:
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. |
Template:Term
Usage
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The template Basic usage:
Inline templates, reference citations, wikimarkup styles, etc., can be applied to the term in the second parameter (
More complex usage is typically:
or
or
If the second or
Style cannot be applied around the template, either, as it is a container for content (the term), not content itself (and doing so will produce invalid markup that will have unpredictable results depending upon browser):
For the same reasons that links to other pages are discouraged in headings, links are discouraged in glossary terms:
Again, as with the first parameter (the term) itself, if the " numbered:
or named:
The template
As with styled terms, the second parameter must be used to provide the "bare" term. It is not necessary to add the term itself to the
or use
(Strictly speaking, this fact has nothing to do with this template, but may be of use to editors who are converting from one glossary style to the other.) Two or more Example: {{term|1=aspirin}}
{{defn|1=A mild analgesic of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) family...}}
{{term|1=heroin}}
{{term|1=diacetylmorphine |multi=y}}
{{term|1=diamorpine |multi=y}}
{{defn|1=A synthetic narcotic drug of the opiate family...}}
{{term|1=ranitidine}}
{{defn|1=An antacid of the proton pump inhibitor family...}}
To indicate the language of a non-English term, use the
This shows no visual change for most languages: {{term|1=esprit de corp |content={{lang-fr|esprit de corps}}s}}
which renders as:
The template has no The HTML5 update:
Most of the restrictions on the content of |id= parameter can be used to assign a one-word, case-sensitive ID name to term. It must be unique on the page. This can be used as another #link target, and could have other metadata uses. By default, the |term= a.k.a. |1= parameter is already set as the ID, and this should rarely be overridden, unless there are two identical terms on the same page creating conflicting IDs. Usually the {{anchor}} template is used to add more link targets to an entry (see #Wiki-styling and linking the term for details).
The This shows both a very simple then a rather complex instance:
Images, hatnotes and other "add-in" content intended to immediately follow the
What this template does on the technical level is wrap the term in the |
See also
{{glossary}}– Half of a template pair; uses<dl>with a class to open the structured glossary definition list that{{glossend}}closes.{{glossary end}}– The other half of this template pair; uses</dl>to close the definition list that{{gloss}}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 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