Accessibility glossary

Semantic HTML

Using HTML elements for their meaning — headings, lists, buttons, labels — rather than generic divs and spans.

Semantic elements expose structure and behavior to assistive technology for free. A real <button> is focusable, clickable, and announced as a button; a styled <div> is none of those without extra work.

It’s the foundation of WCAG 1.3.1 and the reason “use the right element” beats piling on ARIA.

Related terms

Frequently asked questions

What does Semantic HTML mean?
Using HTML elements for their meaning — headings, lists, buttons, labels — rather than generic divs and spans.

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