subtitle

1 of 2

noun

sub·​ti·​tle ˈsəb-ˌtī-tᵊl 

1

: a secondary or explanatory title

2

: a printed statement or fragment of dialogue appearing on the screen between the scenes of a silent movie or appearing as a translation at the bottom of the screen during the scenes of a movie or television show in a foreign language

subtitle

2 of 2

verb

subtitled; subtitling; subtitles

transitive verb

: to give a subtitle to

Examples of subtitle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Lorca’s ghost hangs heavy over the film, and his poetry doesn’t always translate (at the Cannes press screening, even the French and English subtitles often seemed at odds with one another). —Damon Wise, Deadline, 22 May 2026

For privacy, on-device AI will generate customizable subtitles for uncaptioned videos, starting with English in the US and Canada. —David Phelan, Forbes.com, 21 May 2026

Verb

The season, subtitled Pearl Islands, aired in the fall of 2003, saw Fairplay, now 52, finish in third place. —Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026

There’s a whole life around the world for French-language productions, subtitled, that travel. —Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 15 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1815, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1830, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for subtitle

• phytol
• title
• vital
• entitle
• recital

Kids Definition

subtitle

noun

sub·​ti·​tle

ˈsəb-ˌtīt-ᵊl

1

: a secondary or explanatory title

2

: a printed statement or bit of dialogue appearing on the screen between the scenes of a silent movie or at the bottom of the screen during the scenes of a television show or movie for viewers with hearing loss or as a translation of a foreign language

subtitle verb