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orphans

The orphans CSS property specifies the minimum number of lines in a block container that must be shown at the bottom of a page, region, or column. This property is normally used to control how breaks occur.

/* <integer> values */
orphans: 2;
orphans: 3;

/* Global values */
orphans: inherit;
orphans: initial;
orphans: unset;

In typography, an orphan is the first line of a paragraph that appears alone at the bottom of a page.

Initial value 2
Applies to block container elements
Inherited yes
Media visual
Computed value as specified
Animation type discrete
Canonical order per grammar

Syntax

Values

<integer>
The minimum number of lines that can stay by themselves at the bottom of a fragment before a fragmentation break. The value must be positive.

Formal syntax

<integer>

Example

HTML

<div>
  <p>This is the first paragraph containing some text.</p>
  <p>This is the second paragraph containing some more text than the first one. It is used to demonstrate how widows work.</p>
  <p>This is the third paragraph. It has a little bit more text than the first one.</p>
</div>

CSS

div {
  background-color: #8cffa0;
  height: 150px;
  columns: 3;
  orphans: 3;
}

p {
  background-color: #8ca0ff;
}

p:first-child {
  margin-top: 0;
}

Result

Specifications

Specification Status Comment
CSS Fragmentation Module Level 3
The definition of 'orphans' in that specification.
Candidate Recommendation Extends orphans to apply to any type of fragment, including pages, regions, or columns.
CSS Multi-column Layout Module
The definition of 'orphans' in that specification.
Candidate Recommendation Recommendations to consider orphans in relation to columns.
CSS Level 2 (Revision 1)
The definition of 'orphans' in that specification.
Recommendation Initial definition.

Browser compatibility

Feature Chrome Edge Firefox Internet Explorer Opera Safari
Basic support 25 Yes No 8 9.2 No
Feature Android webview Chrome for Android Edge mobile Firefox for Android IE mobile Opera Android iOS Safari
Basic support 25 ? Yes No ? ? No

See also

© 2005–2018 Mozilla Developer Network and individual contributors.
Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License v2.5 or later.
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/CSS/orphans