Origin: Latin prefix sub-
Subtitle has 5 different meanings across 2 categories:
secondary or explanatory title
"The movie poster features a large main title at the top and a smaller subtitle below that explains the plot."
A heading below or after a title.
"The movie poster featured a bold main title followed by a smaller subtitle explaining the plot."
In plain English: A subtitle is text that appears at the bottom of a screen to show what characters are saying when there is no audio or for people who cannot hear well.
"The movie had English subtitles because I couldn't understand the French dialogue."
Usage: As a noun, subtitle refers to text displayed at the bottom of a screen during a video rather than a secondary chapter heading within a book. Use this term when describing captions that translate spoken dialogue for hearing-impaired viewers or non-native speakers in films and television programs.
supply (a movie) with subtitles
"The theater will subtitle the classic French film to help international audiences understand the dialogue."
To create subtitles for the dialogue in a film.
"The editor decided to subtitle the foreign-language scenes so that every viewer could understand the dialogue."
In plain English: To subtitle something means to add written text below spoken dialogue so people can read what is being said.
"The teacher decided to subtitle the documentary so everyone could understand the lesson better."
The word subtitle combines the prefix sub- meaning "under" with title, literally describing a line of text placed beneath a main heading. It entered English to refer specifically to explanatory text shown at the bottom of a film screen for translation or captioning purposes.