The initial-letter
CSS property sets styling for dropped, raised, and sunken initial letters.
/* Keyword values */ initial-letter: normal; /* Numeric values */ initial-letter: 1.5; /* Initial letter occupies 1.5 lines */ initial-letter: 3.0; /* Initial letter occupies 3 lines */ initial-letter: 3.0 2; /* Initial letter occupies 3 lines and sinks 2 lines */ /* Global values */ initial-letter: inherit; initial-letter: initial; initial-letter: unset;
Syntax
The keyword value normal
, or a <number>
optionally followed by an <integer>
.
Values
normal
- No special initial-letter effect. Text behaves as normal.
<number>
- Defines the size of the initial letter, in terms of how many lines it occupies. Negative values are not allowed.
<integer>
- Defines the number of lines the initial letter should sink when the size of it is given. Values must be greater than zero. If omitted, it duplicates the size value, floored to the nearest positive whole number.
Formal definition
Initial value | normal |
---|---|
Applies to | ::first-letter pseudo-elements and inline-level first child of a block container |
Inherited | no |
Computed value | as specified |
Animation type | discrete |
Formal syntax
normal | [ <number> <integer>? ]
Examples
Setting initial letter size
HTML
<p class="normal">Initial letter is normal</p> <p class="onefive">Initial letter occupies 1.5 lines</p> <p class="three">Initial letter occupies 3 lines</p>
CSS
.normal { -webkit-initial-letter: normal; initial-letter: normal; } .onefive { -webkit-initial-letter: 1.5; initial-letter: 1.5; } .three { -webkit-initial-letter: 3.0; initial-letter: 3.0; }
Result
Specifications
Specification | Status | Comment |
---|---|---|
CSS Inline Layout The definition of 'initial-letter' in that specification. |
Working Draft | Initial definition |
Browser compatibility
The compatibility table on this page is generated from structured data. If you'd like to contribute to the data, please check out https://github.com/mdn/browser-compat-data and send us a pull request.
Desktop | Mobile | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
initial-letter | Chrome No support No | Edge No support No | Firefox
No support
No
| IE No support No | Opera No support No | Safari Full support 9 | WebView Android No support No | Chrome Android No support No | Firefox Android
No support
No
| Opera Android No support No | Safari iOS Full support 9 | Samsung Internet Android No support No |
Legend
- Full support
- Full support
- No support
- No support
- Experimental. Expect behavior to change in the future.
- Experimental. Expect behavior to change in the future.
- See implementation notes.
- See implementation notes.