# CSS

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/css
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. web design language

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

Stands for Cascading Style Sheets. This is the code used to decide the layout, colours, and fonts of a website.

For teachers: Abbreviation for Cascading Style Sheets. A style sheet language used to define the visual presentation and layout of HTML documents.

- I need to update the CSS to change the background colour of the website.
- The developer used advanced CSS Grid techniques to ensure the website remained responsive across various mobile and desktop screen sizes.

Usage: Usually treated as an uncountable noun when referring to the language itself, but can be countable when referring to specific files.

### 2. DVD encryption

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

Stands for Content Scramble System. It is a type of protection used on DVDs to stop people from making illegal copies.

For teachers: Abbreviation for Content Scramble System. A digital rights management (DRM) and encryption system designed to prevent the unauthorised duplication of DVD video discs.

- Older DVD players sometimes had trouble reading discs if the CSS was corrupted.
- The introduction of CSS was intended to provide a robust layer of protection against piracy, though it was eventually bypassed by decryption software.

### 3. historical warship prefix

noun · CEFR C2 · American English · Archaic

Stands for Confederate States Ship. This was the title given to warships used by the South during the American Civil War.

For teachers: Abbreviation for Confederate States Ship. The official designation for commissioned warships operated by the Confederate States Navy during the American Civil War.

- The CSS Virginia was a famous ironclad ship used in the 1860s.
- Historians often compare the technological capabilities of the CSS Alabama with its contemporary counterparts in the Union Navy.

### 4. medical syndrome

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

Stands for Churg-Strauss syndrome. It is a rare condition that causes inflammation in the blood vessels.

For teachers: Abbreviation for Churg-Strauss syndrome. An autoimmune condition characterised by the inflammation of small and medium-sized blood vessels in persons with a history of airway allergic hypersensitivity.

- The patient was diagnosed with CSS after showing symptoms of severe asthma and vessel inflammation.
- Recent clinical studies have focused on the efficacy of targeted therapies for patients suffering from CSS who do not respond to traditional steroids.

## Examples

- CSS controls the font size on this page.
- The developer updated the CSS file to change the website's color scheme.
- Modern web design relies heavily on CSS frameworks to ensure consistent styling across different browsers and devices.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.