HTML abbr

HTML Element ABBR

Definition and Usage

The <abbr> tag defines an abbreviated form (e.g., WWW, HTTP, URI, Mass., etc.). Do not confuse with an ACRONYM (e.g., WAC, radar, laser, etc.).

The <abbr> tag was not supported by Microsoft Internet Explorer until version 7 even though the tag has been in the HTML 4.01 specification since 1999. This meant that the <acronym> tag was exclusively used by developers for both abbreviations and acronyms unless workarounds were employed (such as Dean Edwards' <abbr-cadabra/> implementation).

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Examples

<p><abbr title="World Wide Web">WWW</abbr></p>
<p><abbr lang="fr" title="Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer">SNCF</abbr></p>

WWW SNCF

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Attributes

Optional attributes

None

Standard Attributes

id, class, title, style, dir, lang

Event Attributes

onclick, ondblclick, onmousedown, onmouseup, onmouseover, onmousemove, onmouseout, onkeypress, onkeydown, onkeyup

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Tags in Tag

• Fontstyle

TT, I, B, BIG, SMALL

• Phrase

EM, STRONG, DFN, CODE, SAMP, KBD, VAR, CITE, ABBR, ACRONYM

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References

• HTML 4.01 Specification, Phrase elements: EM, STRONG, DFN, CODE, SAMP, KBD, VAR, CITE, ABBR, and ACRONYM

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