The <cite> HTML element is used to mark up the title of a cited creative work, such as a book, research paper, website, or other artistic or scholarly work. It provides a way to reference or give credit to the source of a quote or piece of information. When rendered by browsers, the content within the <cite> element is typically displayed in italics by default, although this styling can be overridden with CSS. The <cite> tag is used to enhance the semantic meaning of a document, helping to identify the source of the cited content.
The <cite> element is suitable for a wide range of creative works, including books, films, songs, paintings, and more. It is important to note that the <cite> tag is not used for the names of people, organizations, or places. Instead, it is specifically for titles of works. Here is an example of how the <cite> tag can be used:
<p>In her novel <cite>The Great Gatsby</cite>, F. Scott Fitzgerald explores themes of wealth and love.</p>Valid Attributes for <cite>
The <cite> element does not have any specific attributes of its own but supports all global attributes. These include:
| Attribute | Description |
|---|---|
| class | Specifies one or more class names for the element, used for CSS styling. |
| id | Defines a unique identifier for the element, useful for JavaScript and CSS. |
| style | Contains inline CSS styles for the element. |
| title | Provides additional information about the element, often displayed as a tooltip. |
In summary, the <cite> element is a valuable tool for marking up citations of creative works, providing semantic clarity and enhancing the accessibility of web content. It helps users and search engines understand the source of the cited material, contributing to the overall structure and meaning of the document.