A markup language is a system for annotating a document in a way that is syntactically distinguishable from the text, allowing for the structured presentation and formatting of information. Markup languages use tags or symbols to define elements within the text, such as headings, paragraphs, links, images, and other components. The most widely known markup language is HTML (HyperText Markup Language), which is used to create and structure content on the web. Other examples include XML (eXtensible Markup Language), which is used for data representation and storage, and Markdown, a lightweight markup language that allows for easy formatting of plain text. Markup languages are essential for enabling browsers and other software to interpret and display content appropriately, facilitating both human-readable and machine-readable formats.