Obsidian Tooltip definition

A tooltip plugin for Obsidian that lets you define terms and phrases, then hover over them anywhere in your vault to see their definitions.

Features

• Hover Tooltips: Hover over any defined term to see its definition in a popover
• Reverse Lookup: When hovering a term inside a definition file, see all places where that term is used
• Markdown Support: Definitions support full markdown formatting
• Multiple Definition Files: Organize definitions into separate files by topic
• Context Scoping: Limit which definitions are active for specific notes
• Visual Indicators: Definition files are marked with a "DEF" badge in the file explorer

Quick Start

1. Set Up Definition Folder

1. Create a folder in your vault (e.g., definitions/)
2. Right-click the folder → Select Set definition folder

2. Create Definitions

Use the Add definition command:

1. Select/highlight a word or phrase in any note
2. Run command: Add definition
3. Enter the definition content in the modal
4. Choose which definition file to save it to

3. Use Tooltips

Once definitions are added:

• Defined terms will be underlined with a dotted line
• Hover over any underlined term to see its tooltip
• Click the tooltip to navigate to the definition

4. Reverse Lookup

When you're inside a definition file and hover over a defined term:

• Instead of showing the definition, it shows all usages of that term
• Click any usage to jump directly to that location

Definition File Types

Consolidated (Recommended)

One file contains multiple definitions. Register with def-type: consolidated in frontmatter.

Format:

---
def-type: consolidated
---

# Term Name

*optional alias, another alias*

Definition content here. Supports **markdown** formatting.

---

# Another Term

Definition for this term.

Rules:

• # Term - The term being defined (H1 header)
• *aliases* - Optional comma-separated aliases in italics
• Content below is the definition (supports markdown)
• --- - Separates definition blocks

Atomic

One file = one definition. The filename is the term.

Format:

---
def-type: atomic
aliases:
  - alias1
  - alias2
---

Definition content here.

Definition Context

By default, all definitions are available everywhere. Use context to limit which definitions apply to specific notes.

Add Context to a Note

1. Open the note you want to scope
2. Run command: Add definition context
3. Select the definition file(s) to use

This adds a def-context property to your note:

---
def-context:
  - definitions/programming.md
  - definitions/math.md
---

Remove Context

Delete the def-context property or remove specific file paths from the list.

Commands

Command	Description
Add definition	Create a new definition for selected text
Preview definition	Show tooltip for term at cursor
Go to definition	Jump to where the term is defined
Add definition context	Scope definitions for current note
Register consolidated definition file	Mark current file as consolidated type
Register atomic definition file	Mark current file as atomic type
Refresh definitions	Reload all definitions

Settings

• Definition Folder: Path to folder containing definition files
• Hover Preview: Enable/disable tooltips on hover
• Popover Delay: Milliseconds before tooltip appears
• Hide on Mouse Out: Auto-hide tooltip when mouse leaves
• Underline Color: Customize the underline color for defined terms

Tips

• Use consolidated files to group related definitions (e.g., by topic or project)
• Use atomic files for complex definitions that need their own note
• Run Refresh definitions if changes aren't appearing
• Right-click menu provides quick access to definition actions