Padding

Property

padding

Values

<length>, <percentage>

Initial

not defined for shorthand properties

Inherited

no

The 'padding' property is a shorthand property for setting 'padding-top', 'padding-right', 'padding-bottom' and 'padding-left' at the same place in the style sheet.

If four values are specified they apply to top, right, bottom and left respectively. If there is only one value, it applies to all sides, if there are two or three, the missing values are taken from the opposite side.

The surface of the padding area is set with the 'background' property:

      H1 { 
      background: white; 
      padding: 1em 2em;
      } 

The example above sets a '1em' padding vertically ('padding-top' and 'padding-bottom') and a '2em' padding horizontally ('padding-right' and 'padding-left'). The 'em' unit is relative to the element's font size: '1em' is equal to the size of the font in use.

Padding values cannot be negative.

Pad"ding, n.

1.

The act or process of making a pad or of inserting stuffing.

2.

The material with which anything is padded.

3.

Material of inferior value, serving to extend a book, essay, etc.

London Sat. Rev.

4. Calico Printing

The uniform impregnation of cloth with a mordant.

© Webster 1913.