Use this element type to create error messages and to look for existing error messages. The default, "label", has the advantage of creating a meaningful link between error message and invalid field using the for attribute (which is always used, no matter the element type).

var options; // Type: jQuery.validator.options 
var instance; // Type: jQuery.validator
instance = jQuery(".selector").validate(options);

var value; // Type: string 

// Get value
value = instance.errorElement;
// Set value
instance.errorElement = value;

var errorElement : string;