Elementor terms, explained simply

A plain-English A–Z glossary of Elementor vocabulary — every term you might encounter when editing your site.

New to Elementor? This glossary explains every term you are likely to encounter — no technical background required. Use Ctrl+F (Windows) or Cmd+F (Mac) to search this page for a specific word.

Quick summary

This is a reference glossary of Elementor terms A–Z. Bookmark this page and come back whenever you encounter an unfamiliar word in the editor.

ACF (Advanced Custom Fields)

A WordPress plugin that lets developers add extra data fields to pages and posts. Elementor Pro can display ACF data using dynamic tags (on the Advanced plan or higher). You will not usually need to set this up yourself.

Actions After Submit

Settings in the Form widget that control what happens when a visitor submits a form — for example, sending an email, redirecting to a thank-you page, or logging to a spreadsheet.

Advanced tab

The third tab in Elementor's left panel, after Content and Style (on containers, after Layout and Style). Contains spacing (margin/padding), motion effects, visibility settings, and custom CSS (Elementor Pro, Advanced plan or higher). Newer V4 elements don't have this tab.

Asset loading

How Elementor loads its CSS and JavaScript files. Elementor's "Improved Asset Loading" feature, now built into Elementor, loads only the files needed for each page, rather than everything at once — making pages faster.

Background

The color, image, or gradient behind a container, section, column, or widget. Set in the Style tab of a container, section or column (for widgets, in the Advanced tab).

Breakpoint

The screen width at which a layout changes to adapt for a different device. By default, Elementor has desktop, tablet, and mobile views, and more breakpoints can be added.

Builder

Short for "page builder" — the Elementor editor itself. Also used to refer to the Theme Builder specifically.

Canvas

The central editing area in the Elementor editor where you see your page and interact with elements. Everything you click and drag happens on the canvas.

Caching

The process of saving a copy of a page so it loads faster for the next visitor. Caching plugins work alongside Elementor, and Elementor also has its own Element Caching setting, which your developer may turn on. See Elementor & page speed.

Callout

In this help center, callout refers to our styled notice blocks (like the "Quick summary" boxes). For a notice box on your own pages, Elementor has an Alert widget, which displays important messages to visitors.

Column

A vertical division inside a section, in Elementor's older Section/Column layout. Sections can have one or more columns side by side. Columns hold widgets. See Working with columns.

Conditions (display conditions)

Rules that control which pages a Theme Builder template appears on — for example, "show this header on the entire site" or "show this template only on blog posts."

Container

In modern Elementor, a flexible box that replaces sections and columns. Containers can hold widgets and other nested containers. See Containers explained.

Content tab

The first tab in Elementor's left panel for most widgets. Contains the actual data inside the widget — the text, image, link, etc. Newer V4 elements call this tab General.

CSS (Cascading Style Sheets)

The code that controls the visual appearance of a web page — colors, fonts, spacing, layout. Elementor writes CSS automatically when you use its style controls. With Elementor Pro (Advanced plan or higher), you can also add custom CSS in the Advanced tab.

Default fonts

Elementor's own built-in font settings for its widgets. The Disable Default Fonts option in Elementor's settings lets your theme's typography settings (or Elementor's Theme Style) apply instead. Not to be confused with global fonts, which you set yourself.

Display conditions

See Conditions above.

Divider

An Elementor widget that draws a horizontal line, used to visually separate content areas.

Drag and drop

The core interaction model of Elementor. You drag a widget from the left panel and drop it onto the canvas to add it to the page. (You can also select a spot on the canvas and click a widget to add it there.)

Dynamic content

Content that is pulled automatically from another source (like a post title, a product price, or a custom field), rather than typed manually in Elementor. See Dynamic content, explained.

Dynamic tag

A placeholder in an Elementor field that is replaced with live data when the page loads. For example, a dynamic tag for Post Title shows the actual title of the current post. Dynamic tags are an Elementor Pro feature.

Editor

The Elementor visual editing environment. Also called the Elementor editor or page editor.

Element

A generic term for any item on a page — a section, column, container, or widget.

Elementor Free

The free version of Elementor, available as a WordPress plugin (listed as "Elementor Website Builder"). Elementor calls it Elementor Core. Includes the core editor and many widgets.

Elementor Pro

The paid upgrade to Elementor. Adds more widgets (such as Form and Slides), the Theme Builder, Pro templates, and dynamic content. Some Pro features, such as the Popup Builder, need the Advanced plan or higher.

Exit intent

A popup trigger (Elementor calls it "On Page Exit Intent") that fires when the visitor's mouse movement suggests they are about to leave the page. Used to offer a last-minute promotion or capture an email.

Flexbox

A CSS layout system used by Elementor's Flexbox containers (Elementor also has Grid containers). It allows flexible positioning of elements in a row or column. You do not need to understand CSS Flexbox to use Containers — Elementor's interface handles it.

Font Awesome

A large icon library included with Elementor. You can use Font Awesome icons in the Icon widget, Icon Box widget, and buttons.

Frontmatter

Sometimes used to mean a page's basic details, such as its title and status. In Elementor, you change these in Page Settings (in the top bar).

Global colors

A palette of named colors (Primary, Secondary, Accent, etc.) that you set once and reference throughout the site. Changing a global color updates every element using it. See Global colors & fonts.

Global fonts

Font settings (family, weight, size, etc.) assigned to font roles (Primary, Secondary, etc.) that apply site-wide. See Global colors & fonts.

A widget that is synced across multiple pages — updating the widget in one place updates it everywhere. Available in Elementor Pro. To make one, right-click a widget and choose Save as global.

Grid

A layout system dividing the page into rows and columns. Elementor has Grid containers for this, and its older section/column structure also creates grid-like layouts.

Handle

The small tab that appears when you hover over a container, section, or column (widgets have their own handle in one corner). Its icons let you add, edit, or delete the element, and you can drag it to move the element. Right-click a handle for more options.

The area at the top of your pages (usually every page) — typically contains your logo and navigation menu. Edited through the Elementor Theme Builder. See Editing headers & footers.

An Elementor widget that displays a title with a semantic HTML level (H1 through H6, or Div, Span, or Paragraph). See How to edit text in Elementor.

Hover state

The appearance of an element when a visitor's mouse is over it. Elementor lets you set different colors and styles for the hover state in the Style tab.

An Elementor widget that displays a single image. See How to edit & swap images.

Image box

An Elementor widget combining an image with a title and text description — commonly used for service cards or feature highlights.

Inner section

A section nested inside a column, creating a grid-within-a-grid layout. Used in the legacy Section/Column structure. On sites that use containers, you nest a container inside another container instead.

Inline editing

Editing content directly on the canvas by clicking and typing, rather than in the left panel. Text elements, such as headings and the Text Editor widget, support inline editing.

JavaScript

Code that adds interactivity and dynamic behavior to web pages. Elementor loads JavaScript to power the editor and widgets like sliders and popups. Excessive JavaScript can slow page loading.

Kit

The older name for what Elementor now calls a website template: a ready-made package of pages and site parts that you import in one go. Most website templates also set up global colors and fonts. Elementor still stores your Theme Style settings in a saved template called the Default Kit.

Layer

Used informally to describe the hierarchy of elements (container > widget, or section > column > widget on older layouts). The Structure window (formerly the Navigator) shows these layers as a tree.

Left panel

The sidebar on the left side of the Elementor editor. Shows the widget library when you click + (Add Element) in the top bar, and element settings when you select something on the canvas.

Library

See Template Library.

Margin

The space outside an element — the gap between it and adjacent elements. Set in the Advanced tab. See Spacing, margin & padding.

Media Library

The WordPress media management area where all uploaded images and files are stored. Accessible from within Elementor when choosing an image.

Mobile view

The editor view that simulates how the page looks on a small phone screen. Access it via the Responsive views (device) icons in the top bar. See Previewing tablet & mobile views.

Motion effects

Animated scroll effects and entrance animations applied to elements. Set in the Advanced tab of an element. Entrance animations are free; scrolling effects and sticky need Elementor Pro.

Navigator

The older name for Elementor's Structure window, which shows all page elements in a tree structure. Open it from the Structure icon in the top bar. Use it to select, rename, or reorder elements, or hide them in the editor (hiding there doesn't affect the live site). See Using the Structure window (Navigator).

Padding

The space inside an element, between its content and its border. Set in the Advanced tab. See Spacing, margin & padding.

Page template

A full-page Elementor design, from the template library or saved by you, that can be inserted into a page.

Panel

The left sidebar of the Elementor editor.

A window that appears over the page content. Elementor Pro includes a popup builder (on the Advanced plan or higher). See Elementor popups (overview).

Publish button

The button that makes your page edits visible to the public. See Publishing & updating your page.

Responsive

Describes a design that adapts to different screen sizes. Elementor supports setting different values for desktop, tablet, and mobile.

Revision

A saved version of a page's Elementor layout. Elementor keeps a history of revisions so you can revert to an earlier state. See Undoing changes with revision history.

The context menu that appears when you right-click an element in the Elementor editor. Offers quick actions like Duplicate, Copy, Paste style, and Delete, plus Save as Template on containers and sections.

Section

A horizontal row that contains columns and widgets, in Elementor's older layout system. Pages built that way are a stack of sections; newer pages use containers instead. See Sections, columns & widgets explained.

Site kit

See Kit above.

Spacer

An Elementor widget that adds blank vertical space between elements.

Style tab

The second tab in Elementor's left panel (after Content). Controls the visual appearance — colors, fonts, borders, shadows, etc.

Template

A saved design (a page, container, or section) that can be inserted into a page. See Elementor templates explained.

Template library

Elementor's built-in collection of pre-designed pages and blocks. See Using the template library.

An Elementor widget for body text, supporting formatting like bold, italic, and bullet lists. See How to edit text in Elementor.

Theme Builder

The Elementor Pro feature for designing site-wide templates (headers, footers, post templates). See The Theme Builder, explained.

Trigger

A condition that causes a popup to appear — such as page load, scroll depth, or exit intent.

Typography

Settings controlling how text looks: font family, size, weight, line height, letter spacing, and transform. Found in the Style tab of text widgets.

Update button

The button that saves and publishes changes to an already-published page. See Publishing & updating your page.

The individual content elements you place on a page — headings, images, buttons, forms, etc. See The most useful Elementor widgets.

The panel of available widgets on the left side of the Elementor editor, shown when you click + (Add Element) in the top bar.

WooCommerce

The WordPress e-commerce plugin. Elementor Pro (Advanced plan or higher) integrates with WooCommerce for building product page templates and shop layouts.

Z-index

Controls which element appears in front of another when elements overlap. A higher z-index brings an element in front. Set in the Advanced tab (on newer V4 elements, in the Style tab). This is rarely needed for routine editing.

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Elementor terms, explained simply

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