What is the purpose of the <span> element in HTML?

The <span> element in HTML is used to group inline elements for styling purposes. It acts as a generic container for phrasing content, allowing you to apply CSS styles or manipulate specific portions of text without disrupting the overall flow of the document. Unlike the <div> element, which is a block-level element, <span> is an inline element, making it suitable for styling text within a line.