Elementor Glossary A–Z — Elementor

Elementor Glossary — 140 Definitions

All terms defined across the guide's 28 sections, listed alphabetically.
Tip: Press Ctrl + F to search for a term on this page.

Accessibility: Making the site usable by EVERYONE, including people with disabilities (low vision, screen readers, keyboard navigation). An ethical — often legal — concern, and a beneficial one (better structured and better ranked).
Widget accessibility: Think about keyboard navigation and accessible content; don't overload (multiplying these widgets hurts clarity).
Accordion / Toggle: Collapsible/expandable sections (clicking a title reveals its content) — perfect for an FAQ, details shown on demand, saving space. HIDES the collapsed content.
After-submit actions: What happens on submit: send an EMAIL (notification, acknowledgement), REDIRECT, show a message, SAVE, and connect to services (INTEGRATIONS). Can be chained. The crucial point (a form must LEAD somewhere).
Alignment (justify / align): The position of elements: on the main axis (justify: start, center, end, spaced) and the cross axis (align: top, center, bottom, stretched). Controls centering, distribution and vertical alignment.
Anchors (anchor links): Links that jump to a specific SECTION ON THE SAME PAGE (scrolling to a spot on the page). Useful for long / one-page sites. You place an anchor and a link points to it (#name).
Entrance animations: An element APPEARS with an effect (fade, slide, zoom…) as it enters the screen on scroll — draws attention and makes the page feel alive.
Responsive preview: Switching between DESKTOP, TABLET and MOBILE views (icons at the bottom of the panel) to see and adapt the display on each screen size.
Background: The backdrop of a container (Style tab): solid COLOR, GRADIENT (linear/radial), IMAGE (with position, repeat, size, fixed/parallax attachment), VIDEO, or slideshow (Pro). Dresses up the sections.
Attachment (parallax): A background-image setting: "fixed" creates a parallax effect (the image stays put while content scrolls over it). An immersive effect.
Custom attributes: Adding HTML attributes (key/value pairs) to an element — for script integration, third-party features, accessibility (ARIA attributes) or targeting.
Template library: A collection of BLOCKS (ready-made sections: banner, pricing, testimonials…) and full pre-designed PAGES that you INSERT and customize — to start from a pro base rather than a blank page.
Block vs page vs kit: BLOCK = a ready-to-use section. PAGE = a whole pre-designed page. KIT = a coherent set of templates (a complete pre-designed site, to adapt).
Used wisely (don't hide the essentials): Tabs, accordions and carousels HIDE content (you have to click/wait to see it): don't put the ESSENTIAL information the user must see straight away inside them.
Accessibility best practices: Image ALT text, heading STRUCTURE, sufficient CONTRAST, KEYBOARD navigation, EXPLICIT links/buttons, not relying on color alone, respecting "reduce motion", legible sizes.
SEO best practices (Elementor/WP): Correct heading STRUCTURE (a single H1, hierarchy), quality CONTENT + keywords, images with ALT and optimized, clean URLs, TITLE/META tags (via an SEO plugin: Yoast, Rank Math), performance, mobile.
Loop: A repetition: displaying a SERIES of items (latest posts, products in a category…) by repeating one layout (a card) for each.
Shop / categories (grids): The pages that LIST products (grids), built with the Loop Builder or product widgets — with a bespoke design.
Button / Icon: Button: a clickable element (text, link, icon) for calls to action. Icon / icon list: display icons (bundled libraries).
Cache & optimization: A cache plugin (page caching, CSS/JS minification, lazy loading) speeds up the site noticeably.
Canvas (preview): The workspace where you SEE and build the page LIVE (as it will appear): you drop, select and move elements there.
Contact capture: A signup form automatically adds the subscriber to a list; a contact form creates a lead in the CRM — capturing and using contacts automatically.
Carousel / Slider: Scrolling through items (images, testimonials, cards) in a small space. Useful but TO BE USED WITH CARE (hidden content, scrolling, SEO/accessibility).
Custom fields (ACF): Bespoke structured data added to WordPress content (e.g. price, surface area for a property; job title, phone for a team member), often via ACF (Advanced Custom Fields). Elementor Pro displays them dynamically.
CSS classes: Adding classes to elements to target them in CSS and reuse styles.
Consistency & centralized maintenance: The whole site shares the same palette/typography (harmony); changing a global automatically updates every element that uses it (one edit for the whole site).
Consistency & global settings: Defining the GLOBAL COLORS and FONTS (Site Settings — level 2-3) applied across the whole site (harmony), rather than setting element by element. Regular spacing.
Compatibility & updates: Check up-to-date versions (WordPress, PHP), a compatible theme (Hello Elementor recommended); keep Elementor and WordPress UP TO DATE (security, features).
A complement, not the normal mode: CSS/attributes are a COMPLEMENT for ADVANCED cases the interface can't handle — not the normal way of working (Elementor is made to build WITHOUT coding; the options cover the essentials).
Conditions & rules: WHERE the pop-up shows (which pages/parts of the site) and to WHOM / how OFTEN (visitors, referral source, don't re-show too frequently).
Display conditions: Where a template (header, footer…) applies: the whole site, or only certain pages/content types. Allows, for example, a different header for the home page.
Display conditions (content): Where each template applies: the Single template to all posts or to one specific category; the archive template to the blog page or to one category…
Container: A "box" that STRUCTURES the page and CONTAINS the other elements (widgets or nested containers). The skeleton of the layout; it manages how its content is arranged (via Flexbox).
Containers (Flexbox) vs Sections/Columns: Flexbox CONTAINERS (recent, flexible, performant) replace the old SECTIONS/COLUMNS system. The current recommended system (though old sites still use sections/columns).
Nested containers: A container inside a container (for complex layouts). Useful, but not to be overused.
Dynamic content (Dynamic Content, Pro): Displaying data that VARIES with context (the current post's title/image, a custom field, a site datum) by LINKING a widget to a data SOURCE — instead of a fixed (static) value.
Dynamic content (templates): The template AUTOMATICALLY displays the data OF EACH post (its title, its image, its content…) — one template serves all content (level 4).
Full control vs the Posts widget: Unlike the Posts widget (a predefined layout), the Loop Builder gives TOTAL control over the design of each card (free design).
Colors: Text, background, border and icon color (Style tab). Consistent use (a limited palette, sufficient contrast) for a harmonious, legible design.
Global colors: A PALETTE defined at site level (primary, secondary, text, accent…), applied to elements. Changing a global color updates the whole site at once.
Custom CSS (Pro): Adding CSS code (Advanced tab → Custom CSS) to an element, a page or the whole site, for customizations the visual options don't cover (ultimate control). Requires some CSS knowledge.
Triggers: WHEN the pop-up appears: on load (after X s), on SCROLL (X% of the page), on EXIT INTENT, on CLICK of an element, after inactivity…
Smooth scroll: Animated, gentle scrolling to an anchor (rather than an abrupt jump) — improves the experience on long pages.
Define early & apply everywhere: Define your palette and styles FROM THE START, then APPLY those globals to elements (rather than fixed values); local settings as the exception.
Slides: A rich slideshow (background image, text, buttons per slide) for animated banners — to be used in moderation (hidden content, like carousels).
Direction (row/column): Elements line up in a ROW (horizontally, side by side — for columns) or in a COLUMN (vertically, stacked). The fundamental layout choice.
Flexbox direction per device: Changing the layout by screen: a ROW on desktop (columns side by side) that becomes a COLUMN on mobile (stacking) — very common.
Text Editor / Image: Text Editor: rich paragraphs (bold, lists, links). Image: from the media library, with size, alignment, link, and ALT TEXT (alt — accessibility/SEO).
Effects: Shadows (box-shadow), borders, rounded corners (border-radius), filters (blur, brightness), HOVER effects — add depth and interactivity. To be used with restraint.
Scroll effects (Pro): Elements that MOVE on scroll (parallax, translation, rotation, transparency, scale by position) — immersive, modern effects.
Hover effects: A change on mouse-over (color, lift, zoom, reveal) — for interactivity (buttons, cards, images).
Loop item (item template): The template for ONE card (image, title, excerpt, price, button…), designed freely with DYNAMIC CONTENT (each item's data). Repeated for each piece of content.
Elementor: The most popular page builder for WordPress: a plugin that lets you create and lay out sites VISUALLY, by drag-and-drop, WITHOUT code (live/WYSIWYG editing).
Elementor Free: The FREE version: visual editor, Flexbox containers, basic widgets (~30: heading, text, image, button…), responsive, global colors/fonts. Enough to build simple pages.
Elementor Pro: The PAID version (subscription): Theme Builder (headers/footers/templates), Pro widgets (forms, posts, sliders…), pop-ups, dynamic content, Loop Builder, WooCommerce Builder. A full SITE builder.
Global elements (Pro): GLOBAL widgets/elements (Pro): a reused element updates EVERYWHERE when you edit it once (like a "symbol").
Header: The top area present across the whole site (logo, navigation menu, buttons). With the Theme Builder (Pro) you design it in Elementor; in Free it comes from the theme.
Sticky header & responsive: The header can be STICKY (stays at the top on scroll), transparent, and responsive (hamburger menu on mobile via the Pro Nav Menu widget).
Gap & wrap: Gap: the space between elements. Wrap: do elements move to a new line if they don't fit?
Spacing (margins / paddings): MARGINS (outer space around an element) and PADDINGS (inner space of a container), set in the ADVANCED tab. They give the page ROOM to BREATHE and STRUCTURE it — decisive for a pro look.
Flexbox: The (modern CSS) system that manages the ARRANGEMENT of elements INSIDE a container, through a few settings: direction, alignment, gap, wrap. The heart of layout in Elementor.
Basic workflow: DRAG a widget from the panel onto the canvas → SELECT it → CONFIGURE it via the panel, seeing the result live (WYSIWYG editing).
Advanced form (Pro): Beyond the simple contact form: varied fields (including upload, date), validation, conditional logic (show/hide by answer), multiple steps, and above all AFTER-SUBMIT actions.
Free + Pro together: Elementor Pro installs ON TOP OF Elementor Free (you need both: Free = the base, Pro = the advanced features).
Hosting & a light theme: Quality hosting (resources, recent PHP) is the foundation; a LIGHT theme (Hello Elementor) and FEW plugins reduce the weight (every plugin adds some).
Nesting: Containers can be NESTED (a container inside a container) to create complex layouts. A page is a hierarchy of containers holding widgets.
Container nesting: A "row" container holding "column" containers (each arranging its own content) — to create complex layouts.
Install Elementor Free: From the WordPress dashboard: Plugins → Add Plugin → search "Elementor" → Install → Activate. A few clicks from the free repository.
Install Elementor Pro: Pro isn't in the free repository: subscribe, download the .zip from your account, install it by UPLOAD (Plugins → Add → Upload), activate it, and CONNECT the LICENSE.
Integration vs third-party plugins: Pro widgets (forms, sliders, posts…) INTEGRATE, coherently, features that without Pro would need third-party plugins — fewer plugins to stack, more consistency.
Marketing / CRM integrations: Connecting the form to external tools: email/newsletter services (add the email to a list), CRM (create a contact), marketing tools, WEBHOOKS. Links the site to the marketing strategy.
Elementor Kits: Export/import a complete configuration (styles, templates, settings) — to start a project, reproduce a base, carry value from one project to the next.
The 3 tabs: The systematic layout of almost every element's settings panel: CONTENT (the what), STYLE (the look), ADVANCED (the fine/technical). Elementor's universal user manual.
Design ↔ data link: Dynamic content links the DESIGN (the Elementor template) to the DATA (the WordPress content): one template automatically displays each piece of content's data.
Links: Buttons and widgets can point to pages, URLs, anchors (#), emails, files… To be checked (no broken links; correct links on calls to action).
Legibility & contrast: Thinking about legibility (readable fonts, comfortable line height) and sufficient contrast (text on background) — important for accessibility.
Text legibility over an image: A recurring problem: text over a background image is often illegible. THE fix = a dark/tinted OVERLAY between the image and the text.
Client delivery: Delivering a CLEAN, tested site (responsive, performance, links, forms, SEO), TRAINING/documenting the client (updating their content), and planning MAINTENANCE (a care contract).
Systematic logic: The three tabs apply to almost every element: you always know where to find a setting (content → Content, look → Style, spacing/responsive/effects → Advanced). Elementor becomes predictable.
Loop Builder (Pro): A tool to display LISTS/GRIDS of content (posts, products, cards) with a FULLY custom design: you design a card-template and repeat it for each item.
Loop Grid: The widget that DISPLAYS the grid/list by repeating your custom card for each item from the source (posts, products…), with possible pagination and filters.
Maintenance: Keeping the site healthy over time: updates (WordPress, Elementor, plugins, theme), regular BACKUPS, security, monitoring, fixes. A delivered site is not "finished".
Menus: The site's main navigation (the header menu), managed in WordPress (Appearance → Menus). The header is customizable with Elementor Pro (Theme Builder); in Free it comes from the theme.
Archive template: The layout of pages that LIST posts (blog, categories, tags, search): the grid/list of post cards (title, excerpt, image, link). Designed in Elementor (Pro).
Single template (single post/content): The layout designed in Elementor (Pro) for displaying ONE post (title, featured image, date, author, content, categories, comments…), applied to ALL posts via dynamic content.
Moderation ("less is more"): The guiding principle: animations enhance SPARINGLY; in excess they distract, tire, slow down and look amateur. Subtle, consistent effects with a purpose.
Edit with Elementor: The button (from a WordPress page/post) that opens Elementor's visual editor, replacing the classic WordPress editor.
Mobile navigation: The menu must suit mobile (often a "hamburger" dropdown), managed by the theme or a responsive menu widget (Pro).
Don't overdo it (maintainability): Too much scattered custom CSS makes the site hard to maintain (you lose the visual advantage); prefer Elementor's options when they're enough, organize/document the CSS, check responsive and conflicts.
Don't be intrusive: The golden rule: avoid a pop-up on arrival, make it EASY to CLOSE (a visible X), limit FREQUENCY, provide VALUE — otherwise it annoys and drives people away.
Heading level (H1-H6): Choosing the right semantic level (H1 for the main title, one per page; H2/H3 for subheadings) — for SEO and accessibility, NOT just for size (which is set separately).
Advanced tab: The FINE, technical settings: MARGINS and PADDINGS, positioning, motion effects, responsive VISIBILITY, custom attributes/CSS (Pro), animations. The fine-tuning.
Content tab: The CONTENT and functional options of the element (a heading's text and level, an image and link, a carousel's slides…). The "WHAT".
Style tab: The element's LOOK: colors, typography, background, borders, shadows, inner spacing… The "HOW it looks" (the design).
Tabs: Organizing content into clickable tabs (switching between several panels) — to present categorized information without overloading. HIDES the inactive content.
Elementor optimizations: Flexbox CONTAINERS (lighter code than sections/columns), Elementor's performance OPTIONS to enable, avoiding over-complexity (stacks of containers, heavy widgets/effects), limiting fonts/scripts.
Optimize images (lever #1): Images are often the #1 cause of slowness: COMPRESS them, SIZE them to the display size, use the WebP format and LAZY LOADING. The most cost-effective lever.
Editor tools: Template library, structure navigation (Navigator), RESPONSIVE preview (desktop/tablet/mobile), Publish/Update, history (undo/redo), page and site settings (Site Settings).
Page builder: A tool for building web pages visually (dropping elements, styling them via panels) without writing HTML/CSS — as opposed to coding or a theme's limited layouts.
Single product page: The template for ONE product's page (images, title, price, description, add-to-cart button, reviews, related products), applied to all products via dynamic content. Where conversion happens.
Panel: The pane (on the left) that shows either the widget LIBRARY (to drag onto the canvas) or the SETTINGS of the selected element (content, style, advanced).
On top of WordPress: Elementor works WITH WordPress (it doesn't replace it): WordPress handles content and administration, Elementor the visual design of pages.
Purchase journey: From shop to product to cart to checkout: it must be SMOOTH, clear and reassuring (trust, information, security). Responsive and performance are crucial (they affect sales).
Performance (speed): The site's loading speed — a MAJOR concern: a slow site drives visitors away, hurts SEO (engines favor fast sites) and gives a poor impression.
Animation performance & accessibility: Too many animations (especially scroll/mouse) slow things down, especially on mobile (reduce/test). Accessibility: respect the "reduce motion" preference, avoid aggressive movement.
Customize templates: Adapt an inserted template to YOUR identity (global colors/fonts, real content) to avoid a "generic" site; check its quality/performance (some templates are heavy).
Footer: The bottom area present across the whole site (information, secondary menus, legal notices). Designed in Elementor with the Theme Builder (Pro).
Global fonts / text styles: Standard typography styles defined globally (main heading, subheadings, body…), reused everywhere — consistency and centralized maintenance.
Pop-up (Popup Builder, Pro): A window that surfaces over the page, designed visually (Elementor Pro's Popup Builder). Uses: email capture, promotions, messages, forms, cookies…
Prerequisites: A working WordPress (hosting + WordPress installed). Elementor is a plugin that adds to WordPress; it doesn't install on its own.
Mobile caution (interstitials): Beware pop-ups on mobile (intrusive, sometimes penalized by search engines if they hinder access to content — "intrusive interstitials"). Also respect the GDPR (email capture).
Site Settings: The GLOBAL settings applied across the whole site (editor hamburger menu): global colors, global fonts/text styles, identity (logo, favicon), buttons, default layout…
Per-device settings: Most settings (sizes, spacing, layout) can be set DIFFERENTLY per device, without affecting the other views — an indicator signals a device-specific setting.
Responsive (adaptive design): A site that is beautiful and usable on ALL screens (desktop, tablet, MOBILE). Essential (mobile is a large share of traffic).
Responsive & structure: A clean, logical structure makes adapting to screens easier (Flexbox: direction per device, row → column). Think responsive from the structure on, and test on all three views.
GDPR / consent: Capturing emails and adding to lists requires CONSENT (opt-in, information on use) — a legal obligation (varying by country), to be respected absolutely.
Backups: Back up regularly and BEFORE any intervention (update, change) — so you can restore if something goes wrong. An essential safety practice.
SEO (search engine optimization): Optimizing the site to rank well in search engines (visibility). Rests on quality content, heading structure, images (alt), tags (title/meta), performance, mobile.
SEO ↔ accessibility: The two MEET: a clear structure (headings), alt text, quality content and good performance serve both ranking AND accessibility.
Your own templates: Saving any section/page you've created as a reusable TEMPLATE, to re-insert elsewhere (other pages, other projects) — consistency and time saved.
Simplicity: The SIMPLEST structure that gives the intended result (no useless stacking). Before nesting, ask whether it's necessary. Flexbox often avoids nesting.
Structured / data-driven sites: Combined with templates and custom content types, dynamic + custom fields enable RICH, STRUCTURED sites (directories, catalogs, listings, portfolios).
Static vs dynamic: Static: a FIXED value entered (a specific text, a specific image). Dynamic: a value LINKED to a source that varies with the content shown (each post's title…).
Clean structure: Well-thought-out containers, as SIMPLE as possible — the key to a RESPONSIVE, PERFORMANT and MAINTAINABLE site.
Structure vs content: CONTAINERS structure and organize (the boxes); WIDGETS display the content (inside the boxes). You create containers, then drop widgets into them.
Overlay: A layer (semi-transparent color or gradient) placed OVER a background (especially an image): used to DARKEN/tint the image so the TEXT on top stays LEGIBLE.
Over-nesting (to avoid): Stacking USELESS containers ("boxes in boxes" for no reason): bloats the code (performance), complicates maintenance and responsive. Use JUST as many containers as needed.
Theme Builder (Pro): Elementor Pro's flagship feature: designing the theme's parts VISUALLY (header, footer, post/archive templates) in Elementor — what Free can't do. Turns Elementor into a full SITE builder.
Typography: Font (family), size, weight, line height, letter spacing, case, alignment (Style tab). Good typography (readable fonts, a size hierarchy, comfortable line height) is essential to legibility.
One template for all content: You design ONE template applied automatically to all matching content: editing the template updates ALL the posts/lists at once — controlled, consistent design.
Responsive visibility: Hiding/showing an element by device (Advanced tab): e.g. hide a bulky element on mobile.
Widget: A concrete CONTENT ELEMENT placed INSIDE a container: heading, text, image, button, icon, video, form… Each widget displays one type of content and is configured.
Posts widget (Pro): Displaying a LIST or GRID of posts (latest posts, from a category…) with a custom design — for a blog, a news section, related posts.
Form widget (Pro): Creating forms VISUALLY (fields, validation, confirmation) and defining AFTER-SUBMIT actions (send an email, save, redirect, marketing integrations). In Free you go through a third-party plugin.
Heading widget: Displays a heading with its semantic LEVEL (H1 to H6 — important for structure, SEO and accessibility), its size and its style.
Basic widgets: The common content elements, present from Free on: Heading, Text Editor, Image, Button, Icon, Icon List, Divider, Spacer, Video, Gallery… They cover the essentials of a page.
Pro widgets: Many widgets added by Elementor Pro: Form, Posts, Slides, testimonials, pricing, countdown, social share, navigation, Pro gallery… They greatly extend what's possible without code.
WooCommerce: The reference e-commerce plugin for WordPress (free): the ENGINE of the shop (product management, cart, orders, payments, taxes…). A prerequisite for the WooCommerce Builder.
WooCommerce Builder (Pro): An Elementor Pro feature to VISUALLY DESIGN a WooCommerce shop's pages (product page, shop, categories…) — instead of the default templates. Requires WooCommerce installed.
Professional workflow: The practices that separate tinkering from delivering PRO work: reuse (kits, templates, globals), method (structure/identity first, testing), quality, maintenance, careful delivery.