(HYPERTEXT MARKUP LANGUAGE) An acronym for code that tells a Web browser how to display an electronic page or message (for example, code that makes a word on an electronic page or message appear in bold face). HTML-coded pages or messages incorporate color, special font treatments and a variety of graphics that may be static or moving. The text or graphics within the page or message can be made live (clickable) to link directly to a URL (Web page address).