Term

Definition

Absolute positioning

Positioning used to place an element at specific coordinates either on a page or within a containing element.

Attribute selector

A selector that allows you to select an element based on the element’s attribute.

Box model

A way of considering the space around and within a paragraph.

Cascading StyleSheets (CSS)

A language used to describe the layout and appearance of an HTML or XHTML document.

Contextual selector

A selector that allows you to apply a style based on the context in which an element is used.

CSS Positioning

The collection of different positioning styles.

CSS1

The first version of CSS, introduced in 1996.

CSS2

A version of CSS that was introduced in 1998.

CSS2.1

An update to CSS2, introduced in April 2002.

CSS3

A version of CSS that is still in development.

CSS-P

See CSS Positioning.

Div element

A general block-level element.

Embedded style

A style sheet is placed in a document’s head, setting the style definitions for the document’s elements.

External style

A style sheet is saved in a separate document and is applied to a group of pages in a Web site.

Inline style

A style that is applied to a specific element through the use of the style attribute in the element’s tag.

Media groups

The concept of combining different types of output devices according to the way they render content.

Orphan

The first few lines of an element’s text when they appear at the bottom of a page, with the bulk of the element’s text appearing on the next page.

Page box

A way of considering the space around a page, including page size, margins, and padding.

Printer-friendly version

A version of a Web page that is formatted specifically for printing.

Pseudo-class

A classification of an element based on its status, position, or current use in a document.

Pseudo-element

A selector that identifies an element based on information about the element’s content, use, or position.

Relative positioning

Positioning used to move an element relative to its default position on the page.

Rollover effect

An effect that occurs when a mouse point rolls over an element.

Style inheritance

When an element takes on the style of its parent element.

Style sheet

A file or form that describes the layout and appearance of a document.

Widow

The final few lines of an element’s text when they appear at the top of a page, while most of the element’s text appears on the previous page.