How to fix definition list on Wix

Steps for Wix

1. Open the Wix Editor for the affected page. Wix generates its own HTML and does not expose raw `<dl>` markup in the standard editor.
2. If you added a custom HTML embed (Add → Embed → Custom Code or HTML iFrame) containing a `<dl>`, click on that element → Enter Code, and correct the definition list markup in the code panel.
3. If the malformed `<dl>` comes from a Wix app or a third-party widget, contact the app developer, as Wix does not provide direct access to app-generated HTML.
4. For Wix Studio sites, use the DevMode / Velo panel to locate any custom HTML components and apply the fix there.
5. After saving, use your browser's DevTools or an accessibility scanner extension (axe, WAVE) to confirm the rendered HTML is now valid.

<!-- ✅ CORRECT: valid <dl> structure -->
<dl>
  <div>
    <dt>Material</dt>
    <dd>100% Organic Cotton</dd>
  </div>
  <div>
    <dt>Weight</dt>
    <dd>180 gsm</dd>
  </div>
</dl>

<!-- ❌ INCORRECT: stray <p> and <span> directly inside <dl> -->
<dl>
  <p>Product Specs</p>      <!-- not allowed here -->
  <span>Material</span>    <!-- not a <dt> -->
  <dd>100% Organic Cotton</dd>
</dl>

What is definition list?

A definition list (`<dl>`) is a special HTML structure designed to pair terms with their descriptions — for example, a product spec sheet listing "Material: Cotton" or "Size: Medium". The rules for what can go inside a `<dl>` are strict: it may only contain `<dt>` (the term) and `<dd>` (the description) elements, optionally wrapped in `<div>` groupings. When a theme or page builder drops in extra tags, plain text, or skips required children, the list becomes "malformed." WCAG Success Criterion 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) requires that information conveyed visually through structure also be conveyed correctly in the underlying code so assistive technologies can interpret it.

Screen readers used by blind or low-vision shoppers rely on correct HTML structure to announce lists properly — for example, "term 1 of 3: Material, definition: Cotton." A malformed `<dl>` breaks that announcement, so the information becomes meaningless noise or is skipped entirely, directly harming the shopping experience for those customers. From a legal standpoint, WCAG 1.3.1 is a Level A criterion — the baseline — meaning this is one of the failures most likely to appear in an accessibility audit, complaint, or lawsuit (ADA Title III, EN 301 549, UK Equality Act). Search engines also use semantic HTML to understand your page content; clean, structured markup around product details like specifications and FAQs can improve how that content is indexed and displayed in rich results.

See the complete Definition list guide for every platform and the full background.