Blockquotes

Blockquotes are a typographic device used to set off quotations that are longer or more formal than surrounding text. They are traditionally rendered with indentation or distinctive styling and may include a citation to indicate the source.

Historically, block quotes signal to readers that material comes from another author. In typography, the quotation is kept separate from the main text, and style guides vary on whether to enclose the material in quotation marks or to rely on indentation and spacing alone. The essential function is to preserve the reader's sense of attribution and context.

In HTML and web content, the blockquote element marks a quotation or quoted section. Its content can include paragraphs and other block-level elements, and a citation for the source is commonly provided with a cite element or in a footer within the blockquote. CSS can be used to alter margins, padding, border, or background to emphasize the block.

In markup languages used for plain text documents, blockquotes are represented by specific syntax: Markdown uses a leading greater-than sign for each line; LaTeX offers \begin{quote} or \begin{quotation}; and reStructuredText supports quote blocks, often by indentation or a directive.

Best practices emphasize accurate attribution, preserving the source's context and punctuation, and avoiding excessive quotation relative to the surrounding text. Blockquotes improve readability by clearly delineating external material.