subtitle

American  

[suhb-tahyt-l] / ˈsʌbˌtaɪt l /

noun

1. a secondary or subordinate title of a literary work, usually of explanatory character.

2. a repetition of the leading words in the full title of a book at the head of the first page of text.

3. Movies, Television, Digital Technology.

   1. a translation or transcription of spoken language in a television program, film, video, or video game, as of dialogue in a foreign language or speech that is audible but may not be easily understood, displayed as a graphic overlay on the lower part of the screen.

   2. caption.

   3. (in silent films) an intertitle or caption.

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verb (used with object)

subtitled, subtitling

1. to supply a subtitle or subtitles for.

subtitle British  

/ ˈsʌbˌtaɪtəl, -ˈtɪtʃə-, sʌbˈtɪtjʊlə /

noun

1. an additional subordinate title given to a literary or other work

2. Also called: caption.  (often plural) films

   1. a written translation superimposed on a film that has foreign dialogue

   2. explanatory text on a silent film

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verb

1. (tr; usually passive) to provide a subtitle for

Other Word Forms

• subtitular adjective
• unsubtitled adjective

Etymology

Origin of subtitle

First recorded in 1875–80; sub- + title

Example Sentences

In his bestseller “Unreasonable Hospitality,” restaurateur and hospitality guru Will Guidara takes that even further; the subtitle is “The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect.”

From The Wall Street Journal

In a phone conversation and later at his office, Klapper said the subtitle is going to be, “Let Me Explain.”

From Los Angeles Times

Grantham recounts them in The Making of a Permabear, written with Edward Chancellor and subtitled The Perils of Long-term Investing in a Short-Term World.

From Barron's

“And it being an animated series in English, so that there are no subtitles involved, really helps.”

From The Wall Street Journal

“Copenhagen” taps the adrenal gland by keeping viewers off balance about who is who and what is what, beginning with the opening subtitles: President—and former CIA director—George H.W.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• call
• describe
• dub