ENGLISH
REFERENCE

HTML

n.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˌeɪtʃˌtiˌɛˈmɛɫ// Web Development
Definition

n. Stands for HyperText Markup Language. The standard set of instructions used to create and structure pages on the internet.

n. Abbreviation for HyperText Markup Language. The standard markup language used for creating web pages and web applications, defining the structure and layout of a document through a system of tags and attributes.


SIMPLE

You need to learn HTML to build your first website.

CONTEXTUAL

The developer spent the afternoon cleaning up the HTML to ensure the site loaded correctly on mobile devices.

COMPLEX

While CSS handles the visual styling and JavaScript manages interactive elements, HTML remains the essential foundation that provides the semantic structure for all content on the World Wide Web.

Origin

An initialism standing for Hypertext Markup Language. It was coined in 1989 by Tim Berners-Lee, based on the existing SGML standard.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Usage

Usually functions as an uncountable noun; when used as a modifier (e.g., 'HTML tags'), it precedes the noun it describes.

Last updated July 22, 2026