Source : Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing

generic markup
     
         In computerised document preparation, a method of
        adding information to the text indicating the logical
        components of a document, such as paragraphs, headers or
        footnotes.  {SGML} is an example of such a system.  Specific
        instructions for layout of the text on the page do not appear
        in the markup.
     
        (1996-05-19)