The <strong><code>orphans</code></strong> <a href="/en-US/docs/Web/CSS">CSS</a> property sets the minimum number of lines in a block container that must be shown at the <em>bottom</em> of a <a href="/en-US/docs/Web/CSS/PagedMedia">page</a>, region, or <a href="/en-US/docs/Web/CSS/CSSColumns">column</a>.

<pre class="brush: css notranslate"><code><span class="token comment">/ &lt;integer&gt; values /</span> <span class="token property">orphans</span><span class="token punctuation">:</span> 2<span class="token punctuation">;</span> <span class="token property">orphans</span><span class="token punctuation">:</span> 3<span class="token punctuation">;</span> <span class="token comment">/ Global values /</span> <span class="token property">orphans</span><span class="token punctuation">:</span> inherit<span class="token punctuation">;</span> <span class="token property">orphans</span><span class="token punctuation">:</span> initial<span class="token punctuation">;</span> <span class="token property">orphans</span><span class="token punctuation">:</span> revert<span class="token punctuation">;</span> <span class="token property">orphans</span><span class="token punctuation">:</span> unset<span class="token punctuation">;</span> </code></pre>

orphans

The orphans CSS property sets the minimum number of lines in a block container that must be shown at the bottom of a page, region, or column.

/* <integer> values */ orphans: 2; orphans: 3;  /* Global values */ orphans: inherit; orphans: initial; orphans: revert; orphans: unset; 

In typography, an orphan is the first line of a paragraph that appears alone at the bottom of a page. (The paragraph continues on a following page.)

Syntax

Values

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 definition

Formal syntax

<integer>

Examples

Setting a minimum orphan size of three lines

<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 orphans work.</p>   <p>This is the third paragraph. It has a little bit more text than the first one.</p> </div> 

div {   background-color: #8cffa0;   height: 150px;   columns: 3;   orphans: 3; }  p {   background-color: #8ca0ff; }  p:first-child {   margin-top: 0; } 

Specifications

See also

Last modified: Oct 3, 2021, by MDN contributors