The Node.parentElement read-only property returns the DOM node's parent Element, or null if the node either has no parent, or its parent isn't a DOM Element.
Syntax
parentElement = node.parentElement
parentElement is the parent element of the current node. This is always a DOM Element object, or null.
Example
if (node.parentElement) {
node.parentElement.style.color = "red";
}
Browser compatibility
On some browsers, the parentElement property is only defined on nodes that are themselves an Element. In particular, it is not defined on text nodes.
| Feature | Chrome | Edge | Firefox (Gecko) | Internet Explorer | Opera | Safari |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic support | (Yes) | (Yes) | 9.0 (9.0) | (Yes) (only on Element) |
(Yes) (only on Element) |
(Yes) |
| Feature | Android | Edge | Firefox Mobile (Gecko) | IE Mobile | Opera Mobile | Safari Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic support | ? | (Yes) | 9.0 (9.0) | ? | ? | ? |