pagination
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /pˌædʒɪnˈeɪʃən/
US
- /ˌpædʒəˈneɪʃən/
Description
- splitting content into numbered pages
- page numbers in order
- easier movement through long content
Imagine reading a very long story on one endless screen. It would be hard to keep your place and hard to find anything again. This word describes the way content is split into separate, numbered pages. You see it in books, magazines, and on websites with links like "Page 1," "Page 2," "Next," and "Previous." It makes long text or large lists easier to read and easier to move through.
It is not only about adding numbers. It also includes deciding how much content goes on each page and how people move from one page to another. Online stores use it for product lists, news sites use it for articles and archives, and search tools use it for results.
Pagination is the practice of dividing a document or digital content into separate, numbered pages. It started as a physical feature of books and other printed works, where page numbers helped readers keep their place, cite passages, and find information quickly. In digital spaces, the idea stayed the same, but the way it works became broader.
On websites and in apps, pagination can mean showing a long set of content across several screens instead of loading everything at once. It often includes page numbers and controls such as "Next," "Previous," "First," "Last," or a box that lets you jump to a certain page. It can also refer to the choice of how many items appear on each page, because that affects reading speed, layout, and ease of use.
Good pagination helps people understand where they are, move through content step by step, and return to earlier sections without confusion. Poor pagination can do the opposite. If there are too many items on one page, too many pages overall, or unclear navigation, people may struggle to browse or lose track of what they were viewing.
You'll encounter pagination in countless contexts:
Books & Magazines:* The classic example—numbered pages for easy reference and indexing. News Websites:* Breaking up long articles or archives into smaller sections. E-commerce Sites:* Displaying many products across several pages so browsing stays clear and fast. Search Results:* Showing results in groups instead of in one very long list. Blog Posts:* Splitting long posts or archives into parts that are easier to read.
In the end, pagination is a simple idea with an important job: it breaks large amounts of content into parts that people can follow, search, and use more comfortably.
Examples
- 1
Search results
The search page uses pagination, with twenty results on each page.
- 2
Data table
Please add pagination to the table so it doesn't load every customer at once.
- 3
Page controls
The pagination controls are at the bottom of the article list.
- 4
Print design
The designer checked the pagination before sending the book to print.
- 5
Numbering error
The pagination is off after page 42, so the index points to the wrong sections.
Phrase
pagination is off
the page numbers or page order are wrong
- 6
Large datasets
For large datasets, server-side pagination can make the app much faster.
Domain
server-side pagination
dividing results before they are sent to the user's browser
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- paginationnoun