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Small element

As explained in Web Design Playground, Second Edition

The HTML small element marks side comments and fine-print text such as legal notices, disclaimers, or caveats.

The HTML small element marks an aside from the regular text, especially fine print such as copyright notices, disclaimers, legal restrictions, warnings, caveats, or source attributions. Browsers display it in a slightly smaller type size. section 16.1

A copyright notice

Place the fine print after the main message: Thank you for reading this essay. Then use <small>TypeNerdNews is © 2023 Aldus Manutius. All rights reserved.</small>. section 16.1

Use small for text that supports the main content without competing with it:

Thank you for reading this essay.<br>
<small>TypeNerdNews is &copy; 2023 Aldus Manutius. All rights reserved.</small>

See the complete copyright-notice example with a line break and small text. section 16.1

How Web Design Playground, Second Edition covers it

How deep it goes
Defines the element’s purpose and default smaller rendering, but does not detail CSS customization or advanced semantics.
Examples
Uses a copyright notice following an essay as the concrete markup example.
What you can do after
Apply the small element to mark secondary fine print in an HTML page.
How it connects
Connects fine print with copyright notices, disclaimers, warnings, caveats, legal restrictions, and source attributions.
Cover of Web Design Playground, Second Edition
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Related concepts

This explainer was generated by Manning's knowledge graph from the text of Web Design Playground, Second Edition. The section links point to the parts of the book it draws on.