The HTML <cite> tag
The HTML <cite> element marks up the title of a creative work — a book, film, song, article, paper or website being referenced. It is rendered italic by default. It is for the work's title, not for a person's name.
Overview
The <cite> element identifies the title of a creative work — a book, article, film, song, painting, paper, or website. Browsers render it in italics by default, and it pairs naturally with a quotation to credit the source.
There is a precise rule that catches people out: per the HTML specification, <cite> is for the title of the work, not the author's name. So you would mark up Moby-Dick but not "Herman Melville" with it.
Do not confuse the <cite> element with the cite attribute on <blockquote> and <q>: the attribute holds a source URL as hidden metadata, while the element is a visible reference to a work's title.
Syntax
<p>From <cite>The Pragmatic Programmer</cite>.</p>Example
<p>My favorite book is <cite>The Little Prince</cite>.</p>Best practices
- Use
<cite>for the title of a creative work — book, film, article, song, site. - Per the spec, do not wrap an author's name in it; it is for titles only.
- Pair it with a <blockquote> or <q> to credit a quotation's source.
- Do not confuse the element with the
citeattribute, which holds a URL.
Frequently asked questions
What does the cite element mark up?
Can I use cite for an author's name?
What is the difference between the cite element and the cite attribute?
<cite> element is a visible reference to a work's title; the cite attribute on <blockquote>/<q> is a hidden source URL.Why is cite text italic?
<cite> by default, matching the convention for titles of works. Restyle it with CSS if you prefer.