diff --git a/src/Text/Pandoc/Readers/HTML.hs b/src/Text/Pandoc/Readers/HTML.hs
index c7832fbf0..969fabb3a 100644
--- a/src/Text/Pandoc/Readers/HTML.hs
+++ b/src/Text/Pandoc/Readers/HTML.hs
@@ -83,6 +83,18 @@ inlinesTilEnd tag = try (do
   inlines <- manyTill inline (htmlEndTag tag)
   return inlines)
 
+-- | Parse blocks between open and close tag.
+blocksIn tag = try $ do
+  htmlTag tag
+  spaces
+  blocksTilEnd tag
+
+-- | Parse inlines between open and close tag.
+inlinesIn tag = try $ do
+  htmlTag tag
+  spaces
+  inlinesTilEnd tag
+
 -- | Extract type from a tag:  e.g. @br@ from @\<br\>@
 extractTagType :: String -> String
 extractTagType ('<':rest) = 
@@ -339,27 +351,34 @@ blockQuote = try (do
 -- list blocks
 --
 
-list = choice [ bulletList, orderedList ] <?> "list"
+list = choice [ bulletList, orderedList, definitionList ] <?> "list"
 
-orderedList = try (do
-    tag <- htmlTag "ol"
+orderedList = try $ do
+    htmlTag "ol"
     spaces
-    items <- sepEndBy1 listItem spaces
+    items <- sepEndBy1 (blocksIn "li") spaces
     htmlEndTag "ol"
-    return (OrderedList items))
+    return (OrderedList items)
 
-bulletList = try (do
-    tag <- htmlTag "ul"
+bulletList = try $ do
+    htmlTag "ul"
     spaces
-    items <- sepEndBy1 listItem spaces
+    items <- sepEndBy1 (blocksIn "li") spaces
     htmlEndTag "ul"
-    return (BulletList items))
+    return (BulletList items)
 
-listItem = try (do
-    tag <- htmlTag "li"
+definitionList = try $ do
+    tag <- htmlTag "dl"
     spaces
-    blocks <- blocksTilEnd "li"
-    return blocks)
+    items <- sepEndBy1 definitionListItem spaces
+    htmlEndTag "dl"
+    return (DefinitionList items)
+
+definitionListItem = try $ do
+    terms <- sepEndBy1 (inlinesIn "dt") spaces
+    defs <- sepEndBy1 (blocksIn "dd") spaces
+    let term = joinWithSep [LineBreak] terms
+    return (term, concat defs)
 
 --
 -- paragraph block
diff --git a/tests/html-reader.html b/tests/html-reader.html
index b89a93299..2c00f48b4 100644
--- a/tests/html-reader.html
+++ b/tests/html-reader.html
@@ -232,6 +232,15 @@ These should not be escaped:  \$ \\ \> \[ \{
 </ul>
 </li>
 </ul>
+<h2>Definition</h2>
+<dl>
+  <dt>Violin</dt>
+  <dd>Stringed musical instrument.</dd>
+  <dd>Torture device.</dd>
+  <dt>Cello</dt>
+  <dt>Violoncello</dt>
+  <dd>Low-voiced stringed instrument.</dd>
+</dl>
 <hr />
 <h1>HTML Blocks</h1>
 <p>Simple block on one line:</p>
diff --git a/tests/html-reader.native b/tests/html-reader.native
index f7de8df4a..a432bda7e 100644
--- a/tests/html-reader.native
+++ b/tests/html-reader.native
@@ -150,6 +150,14 @@ Pandoc (Meta [Str "Pandoc",Space,Str "Test",Space,Str "Suite"] [] "")
     , BulletList
       [ [ Para [Str "this",Space,Str "is",Space,Str "an",Space,Str "example",Space,Str "list",Space,Str "item",Space,Str "indented",Space,Str "with",Space,Str "tabs"] ]
       , [ Para [Str "this",Space,Str "is",Space,Str "an",Space,Str "example",Space,Str "list",Space,Str "item",Space,Str "indented",Space,Str "with",Space,Str "spaces"] ] ] ] ]
+, Header 2 [Str "Definition"]
+, DefinitionList
+  [  ([Str "Violin"],
+     [ Plain [Str "Stringed",Space,Str "musical",Space,Str "instrument."]
+     , Plain [Str "Torture",Space,Str "device."] ]  ),
+    ([Str "Cello",LineBreak,Str "Violoncello"],
+     [ Plain [Str "Low-voiced",Space,Str "stringed",Space,Str "instrument."] ]
+    ) ]
 , HorizontalRule
 , Header 1 [Str "HTML",Space,Str "Blocks"]
 , Para [Str "Simple",Space,Str "block",Space,Str "on",Space,Str "one",Space,Str "line:"]