What does the term "inline" refer to when discussing the span tag?

The term "inline" when used in the context of the span tag refers to the way the content is displayed and how it interacts with surrounding elements. Specifically, it indicates that the content within a span tag does not start on a new line and only takes up as much width as necessary. This allows for flexibility in manipulating the appearance of that content without impacting the layout of adjacent elements on the page.

Using a span tag enables the application of CSS styles or JavaScript manipulations directly to a specific piece of text or inline elements without causing a reflow of the entire surrounding structure. For example, you could change the color or add an underline to a word within a paragraph without altering the layout of the entire paragraph or other elements around it. This characteristic is fundamental in web design, allowing for precise control over inline content styling.