entitle

[en-tahyt-l]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR entitle ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), en·ti·tled, en·ti·tling.

to give (a person or thing) a title, right, or claim to something; furnish with grounds for laying claim: His executive position entitled him to certain courtesies rarely accorded others.

to call by a particular title or name: What was the book entitled?

to designate (a person) by an honorary title.

Also intitle.

Origin of entitle

1350–1400; Middle English entitlen < Anglo-French entitler, variant of Middle French entituler < Late Latin intitulāre. See en-¹, title

Related formspre·en·ti·tle, verb (used with object), pre·en·ti·tled, pre·en·ti·tling.sub·en·ti·tle, verb (used with object), sub·en·ti·tled, sub·en·ti·tling.un·en·ti·tled, adjectivewell-en·ti·tled, adjective

Synonyms for entitle

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR entitle ON THESAURUS.COM

authorize, qualify.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for entitle

designate, authorize, enable, empower, allow, permit, warrant, style, denominate, title, dub, term, characterize, call, baptize, nickname, christen, subtitle, rate, let

Examples from the Web for entitle

Contemporary Examples of entitle

He even went so far as to entitle one blog post (since sadly deleted) “How To Succeed at Failure.”
Can Richard Branson Bounce Back From His Space Disaster?
Tom Sykes
November 3, 2014
In the Vanity Fair piece, Lawrence defended her celebrity status and said that that did not entitle people to her body.
‘The Fappening’ Perpetuators Have a J.Law Come-to-Jesus Moment and ‘Cower With Shame’
Marlow Stern
October 8, 2014
Teenagers can pay taxes; that alone should entitle them to a voice in the political process.
Paying Taxes and Going to Jail Like Adults; Teens Deserve the Right to Vote, Too
Jillian Keenan
October 6, 2014
Different contracts may entitle Chesapeake to charge varying amounts.
How the Kings of Fracking Double-Crossed Their Way to Riches
ProPublica
March 13, 2014
Hint: It does not entitle him to the right to do damage to the Republican brand.
Let Ron Paul Speak at the Tampa Convention?
David Frum
January 13, 2012

Historical Examples of entitle

But my new position in the house seemed to entitle me to this much liberty, for once.
In the Valley
Harold Frederic
What pretensions has he that should entitle him to dream of you, Pauline?
Graham's Magazine, Vol. XXXII No. 4, April 1848
Various
What he had was at Aughkeely, and this was not sufficient to entitle him to vote.
Ireland as It Is
Robert John Buckley (AKA R.J.B.)
Oh, what you ask is not difficult enough to entitle me to that name.
The Queen's Necklace
Alexandre Dumas pre
My object is such as to entitle my words to your respect, not resentment.
A Tame Surrender, A Story of The Chicago Strike
Charles King

British Dictionary definitions for entitle

entitle

verb (tr)

to give (a person) the right to do or have something; qualify; allow

to give a name or title to

to confer a title of rank or honour upon

Derived Formsentitlement, noun

Word Origin for entitle

C14: from Old French entituler, from Late Latin intitulāre, from Latin titulus title

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for entitle

late 14c., "to give a title to a chapter, book, etc.," from Anglo-French entitler, Old French entiteler (Modern French intituler), from Late Latin intitulare, from in- "in" (see in- (2)) + titulus "title" (see title (n.)).

Meaning "to bestow (on a person) a rank or office" is mid-15c. Sense of "to give (someone) 'title' to an estate or property," hence to give that person a claim to possession or privilege, is mid-15c.; this now is used mostly in reference to circumstances and actions. Related: Entitled; entitling.