<thead>

The `` element in HTML is used to define the header section of a table. It groups together the header cells, usually containing labels that describe the content of each column, such as "Name," "Age," or "Price." This helps browsers and tools understand the structure of the table, improve accessibility for screen readers, and assist with styling or sorting the data. The `` section typically appears at the top of the table and works in conjunction with `` (for data rows) and `` (for footer summaries) to organize the table's content clearly.