<html><head><style>.ancestors * { display: block; border: 2px solid lightgrey; color: lightgrey; padding: 5px; margin: 15px;}</style><script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/3.5.1/jquery.min.js"></script><script>$(document).ready(function(){ $("span").parent().css({"color": "red", "border": "2px solid red"});});</script></head><body><div class="ancestors"> <div style="width:500px;">div (great-grandparent) <ul>ul (grandparent) <li>li (direct parent) <span>span</span> </li> </ul> </div> <div style="width:500px;">div (grandparent) <p>p (direct parent) <span>span</span> </p> </div></div></body></html>