View source for Template:Defn/doc

{{Documentation subpage}}
==Usage==
The template {{tlx|defn}} is used in [[Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Glossaries|template-structured glossaries]] to create definitions of terms.
It is a wrapper for {{tag|dd}}, the ''description list definition'' [[HTML element#Lists|HTML element]]. The template has a mnemonic redirect at {{tlx|dd}}.

Basic usage:

 {{gray|1={{tlf|glossary}} }}
 {{gray|1={{tlf|term|1{{=}}<var>term</var>}} }}
 {{bxt|1={{tlf|defn|1{{=}}<var>Definition.</var>}} }}
 {{gray|1={{tlf|glossary end}} }}

Links, inline templates, reference citations, wikimarkup styles, etc., can be applied to the definition.  Technically, the {{para|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 {{para|1}} parameter can also be called {{para|defn}} for those who don't care for numeric parameters.
* This will work: {{bxt|1={{tlf|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: {{bxt|1={{tlf|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 {{strongbad|fail}}: {{!bxt|1={{tlf|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 might be:
{{quote|{{tnull|defn|1{{=}}<var>Definition.</var>&nbsp;|no{{=}}<var>#</var>&nbsp;|term{{=}}<var>term_id</var>}} }}

where {{para|no|<var>#</var>}} gives a leading number for a definition in a list of definitions, and {{para|term|<var>term_id</var>}} provides the name of the term used in the {{tlx|Term}} template to which this definition pertains.

===Images, hatnotes and other content===
Images, [[Template:Ghat|hatnotes]] and other "add-in" content intended to immediately follow the {{tnull|term}} {{em|must be used at the top of (inside) the first {{tnull|defn}} of the {{tnull|term}}.}} They {{strong|cannot}} be placed between the {{tnull|term}} and {{tnull|defn}} or it will break the glossary markup. Images can, of course, be placed elsewhere within the {{tnull|defn}}, and bottom-notes like {{tlx|more}} can be placed at the ends of but {{em|inside}} the content of {{tnull|defn}}s.

{|
| style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;" | <syntaxhighlight lang="moin">
{{glossary}}
{{term |1=colour ball |content=colour ball {{anchor|coloured ball|coloured balls|colour|colours|color ball}}}}
{{defn|1=
[[File:Set of Snookerballs.png|thumb|right|150px|A complete set of snooker balls, with six '''colour balls''']]
{{ghat|Also '''coloured ball(s)''', '''colour(s)'''; American spelling '''color''' sometimes also used.}}
In [[snooker]], any of the {{cuegloss|object ball}}s that are not {{cuegloss|red ball|reds}}.
}}
{{glossary end}}</syntaxhighlight>
|-
| style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;" | <blockquote>
{{glossary}}
{{term |1=colour ball |content=colour ball {{anchor|coloured ball|coloured balls|colour|colours|color ball}}}}
{{defn|1=
[[File:Set of Snookerballs.png|thumb|right|150px|A complete set of snooker balls, with six '''colour balls''']]
{{ghat|Also '''coloured ball(s)''', '''colour(s)'''; American spelling '''color''' sometimes also used.}}
In [[snooker]], any of the {{cuegloss|object ball}}s that are not {{cuegloss|red ball|reds}}.
}}
{{glossary end}}</blockquote>
|}
{{clear}}

=== Multiple definitions for one term ===
If a single {{tnull|term}} has multiple definitions, they are simply numbered with the {{para|2|parameter}} explicitly. Think of the parameter as standing for "{{strong|2}}nd or later definition". You can also call it {{para|no}}, if you prefer (from "[[Numero sign|No.]]") Example:

{|
| style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;" | <syntaxhighlight lang="moin">
{{glossary}}
{{term|1=blubbermonster}}
{{defn|1=Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. |no=1}}
{{defn|1=Consectetur adipisicing elit. |no=2}}
{{glossary end}}</syntaxhighlight>
|-
| style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;" | <blockquote>
{{glossary}}
{{term|1=blubbermonster}}
{{defn|1=Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. |no=1}}
{{defn|1=Consectetur adipisicing elit. |no=2}}
{{glossary end}}
</blockquote>
|}

{{clear}}

Because of the uneven length of definitions, it is usually more convenient to put the {{para|2|}} before the {{para|1}} description:
{{quote|{{tnull|defn&nbsp;|2{{=}}1&nbsp;|1{{=}}Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet.}} }}
or
{{quote|{{tnull|defn&nbsp;|no{{=}}1&nbsp;|1{{=}}Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet.}} }}

This is a very robust method, because it permits complex content like block quotations, nested lists, {cross-reference hatnotes, and other block-level markup inside each definition. The definitions can also be independently linked.

Use of a "standard" hatnote with a numbered definition would require manual numbering or it would look weird. But this method is deprecated anyway. An example of forcing it to kinda work:

<syntaxhighlight lang="moin">
{{term|1=blackjack|content=blackjack{{anchor|Blackjack}} }}
{{defn     |1={{main|Blackjack}}}}
{{defn|no=1|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). }}
</syntaxhighlight>

It's better to use the {{tlx|ghat}} template, for glossary hatnotes, and put it inside the first (or most applicable) definition. This obviates creating a pseudo-definition to hold the hatnote, as shown above.  {{tnull|Ghat}} (which uses [[Module:Hatnote inline]]) has some CSS adjustments to work better than {{tlx|Hatnote}} and its derivatives, when used inside a definition.

=== Making the definition independently linkable ===
{{quote box|width=33%|title=HTML5 update:|quote=Most of the restrictions on the content of <code>id</code> have been removed, so <code>id</code> values no longer have to begin with an <code>[a-z][A-Z]</code> 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.}}To enable a link directly to a specific definition, name the definition with its {{tlx|term}} (or it must be the {{para|id|{{var|foo}}}} value, if any, used in {{tnull|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 {{tnull|defn}}'s {{para|term}} parameter. This will produce a <code>#</code>-link target ID in the form <code>{{var|term}}-defn{{var|#}}</code>, where the {{var|#}} is the number of the definition ''(see [[#Multiple definitions for one term]], above)'', defaulting to "1". Example:

{|
| style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;" | <syntaxhighlight lang="moin">
{{glossary}}
{{term|1=blubbermonster}}
{{defn|no=1 |1=Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. |term=blubbermonster}}
{{defn|no=2 |1=Consectetur adipisicing elit. |term=blubbermonster}}
{{term|1=snorkelweasel (noun)}}
{{defn|1=Ut enim ad minim veniam |term=snorkelweasel (noun)}}
{{glossary end}}</syntaxhighlight>
|-
| style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;" | <blockquote>
{{glossary}}
{{term|1=blubbermonster}}
{{defn|no=1 |1=Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. |term=blubbermonster}}
{{defn|no=2 |1=Consectetur adipisicing elit. |term=blubbermonster}}
{{term|1=snorkelweasel (noun)}}
{{defn|1=Ut enim ad minim veniam |term=snorkelweasel (noun)}}
{{glossary end}}</blockquote>
|-
| style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;" | &nbsp;HTML output:
<syntaxhighlight lang="html">
<dl class="glossary">
  <dt class="glossary" id="blubbermonster" style="margin-top: 0.4em;"><dfn class="glossary">blubbermonster</dfn></dt>
  <dd class="glossary" id="blubbermonster-defn1">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet.</dd>
  <dd class="glossary" id="blubbermonster-defn2">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;Consectetur adipisicing elit.</dd>
  <dt class="glossary" id="snorkelweasel_(noun)" style="margin-top: 0.4em;"><dfn class="glossary">snorkelweasel (noun)</dfn></dt>
  <dd class="glossary" id="snorkelweasel_(noun)-defn1">Ut enim ad minim veniam</dd>
</dl>
</syntaxhighlight>
|}

{{clear}}
Note that some characters in <code>snorkelweasel (noun)</code>" have been converted on the fly by MediaWikia by the time it sends the ID to the browser as <code>snorkelweasel_.28noun.29-defn1</code>. You can still link to it on this page as [[#snorkelweasel (noun)-defn1]] (view page source and see for yourself &ndash; that link has <code>href=#snorkelweasel_.28noun.29-defn1</code>).

The IDs {{samp|blubbermonster-defn1}}, {{samp|blubbermonster-defn2}},&nbsp; and {{samp|snorkelweasel_(noun)-defn1}} are all individually linkable, e.g. as <code><nowiki>[[Glossary of weird terms#blubbermonster-defn1]]</nowiki></code>.  This is especially useful for cross-references within the glossary, e.g. <code><nowiki>See also [[#blubbermonster-defn2|"blubbermonster", sense 2]].</nowiki></code>

To add more than one linkable anchor, use the {{tl|anchor}} template at the beginning of the definition's content:

 {{tlf|defn|no{{=}}2 |1{{=}}{{tlp|anchor|elit|Elit}}Consectetur adipisicing elit. |term{{=}}blubbermonster}}

=== Languages ===
There is no {{para|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:
<syntaxhighlight lang="moin">
{{glossary}}
{{term|1=Titles of La Vie en Rose in various languages&nbsp;|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}}
</syntaxhighlight>

=== Examples ===
This shows both a very simple then a rather complex instance:

{|
| style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;" | <syntaxhighlight lang="moin">
{{fake heading|A&ndash;M}}
{{glossary}}
{{term|1=applesnorkel}}
{{defn|1=Definition of term 1.}}
{{term|term=arglefarst |content=''{{lang|de|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}}</syntaxhighlight>
|-
| style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;" | <blockquote>
{{fake heading|A&ndash;M}}
{{glossary}}
{{term|1=applesnorkel}}
{{defn|1=Definition of term 1.}}
{{term|term=arglefarst |content=''{{lang|de|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}}
</blockquote>
|}

===Applying CSS styles to the definition===
The {{para|style}} parameter will pass CSS styling on to the {{tag|dd|o}} element, e.g. {{para|style|font-family:serif;}} or whatever. I.e., this styles the definition itself, not the term it applies to, other definitions, 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 {{para|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 {{em|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 {{para|class}} parameter will pass one or more space-separated CSS classes on to {{tag|dd|o}} element, in addition to the automatically included class <code>glossary</code>.  ''There is rarely any reason to do this.''

==See also==
{{glossary templates see also}}
* Not to be confused with {{tl|dfn}}

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