title

/ˈtaɪdl/

/ˈtaɪtəl/

Other forms: titles; titled; titling

A title is typically the official part of your name, placed at the beginning to signify a certain status or function. So, do you prefer "Mr.," "Mrs.," "Dr." or "Ms"? Or perhaps you just go by "Grand Pooh-bah"?

There seem to be as many ways to use the word title as there are titles on a library shelf — because a title is also what you call a book or song or work of art. Titles are even given to statutes and acts of legislature. When you buy a car, you get a title, which is a piece of paper certifying your ownership. And when your favorite team wins the championship? You often say they won the title — and the right to brag.

Definitions of title

1. noun

   the name of a work of art or literary composition etc.
   “he looked for books with the word `jazz' in the title”

   “he refused to give titles to his paintings”

   “I can never remember movie titles”

   types:

   masthead

   the title of a newspaper or magazine; usually printed on the front page and on the editorial page

   rubric

   a title or heading that is printed in red or in a special type

   type of:

   name

   a language unit by which a person or thing is known
2. noun

   a general or descriptive heading for a section of a written work
   “the novel had chapter titles”

   types:

   credit

   an entry on a list of persons who contributed to a film or written work

   caption, legend

   brief description accompanying an illustration

   subtitle

   secondary or explanatory title

   type of:

   subhead, subheading

   a heading of a subdivision of a text
3. noun

   a heading that names a statute or legislative bill; may give a brief summary of the matters it deals with
   “Title 8 provided federal help for schools”

   synonyms: rubric, statute title

   type of:

   head, header, heading

   a line of text serving to indicate what the passage below it is about
4. verb

   give a title to
   synonyms: entitle

   types:

   proclaim

   declare formally; declare someone to be something; of titles

   type of:

   call, name

   assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
5. verb

   designate by an identifying term
   synonyms: style

   type of:

   call, name

   assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
6. noun

   an identifying appellation signifying status or function: e.g. `Mr.' or `General'
   “the professor didn't like his friends to use his formal title”

   synonyms: form of address, title of respect

   types:

   Aga, Agha

   title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey)

   Defender of the Faith

   a title that Leo X bestowed on Henry VIII and later withdrew; parliament restored the title and it has been used by English sovereigns ever since

   Don

   a Spanish courtesy title or form of address for men that is prefixed to the forename

   Dona

   a Spanish courtesy title or form of address for a woman

   Frau

   a German courtesy title or form of address for an adult woman

   Fraulein

   a German courtesy title or form of address for an unmarried woman

   Hakham

   a Hebrew title of respect for a wise and highly educated man

   Herr

   a German courtesy title or form of address for a man

   Miss

   a form of address for an unmarried woman

   Mister, Mr, Mr.

   a form of address for a man

   Mrs, Mrs.

   a form of address for a married woman

   Ms, Ms.

   a form of address for a woman

   Rabbi

   a Hebrew title of respect for a Jewish scholar or teacher

   Reverend

   a title of respect for a clergyman

   Senor

   a Spanish title or form of address for a man; similar to the English `Mr' or `sir'

   Senora

   a Spanish title or form of address for a married woman; similar to the English `Mrs' or `madam'

   Senorita

   a Spanish title or form of address used to or of an unmarried girl or woman; similar to the English `Miss'

   Signora

   an Italian title or form of address for a married woman

   Signorina

   an Italian title or form of address for an unmarried woman

   Very Reverend

   a title of respect for various ecclesiastical officials (as cathedral deans and canons and others)

   Father, Padre

   `Father' is a term of address for priests in some churches (especially the Roman Catholic Church or the Orthodox Catholic Church); `Padre' is frequently used in the military

   type of:

   appellation, appellative, denomination, designation

   identifying word or words by which someone or something is called and classified or distinguished from others
7. noun

   an appellation signifying nobility
   “`your majesty' is the appropriate title to use in addressing a king”

   types:

   Lordship

   a title used to address any British peer except a duke and extended to a bishop or a judge

   Ladyship

   a title used to address any peeress except a duchess

   baronetcy

   the title of a baron

   viscountcy

   the title of a viscount

   type of:

   appellation, appellative, denomination, designation

   identifying word or words by which someone or something is called and classified or distinguished from others
8. noun

   an established or recognized right
   “he had no documents confirming his title to his father's estate”

   synonyms: claim

   types:

   own right

   by title vested in yourself or by virtue of qualifications that you have achieved

   entitlement

   right granted by law or contract (especially a right to benefits)

   type of:

   legal right

   a right based in law
9. noun

   an informal right to something
   “his title to fame”

   synonyms: claim

   type of:

   right

   an abstract idea of that which is due to a person or governmental body by law or tradition or nature
10. noun

    a legal document signed and sealed and delivered to effect a transfer of property and to show the legal right to possess it
    “he kept the title to his car in the glove compartment”

    synonyms: deed, deed of conveyance

    types:

    bill of sale

    a deed transferring personal property

    deed poll

    a deed made and executed by only one party

    enfeoffment

    under the feudal system, the deed by which a person was given land in exchange for a pledge of service

    mortgage deed

    deed embodying a mortgage

    title deed

    a legal document proving a person's right to property

    muniments

    deeds and other documentary evidence of title to land

    type of:

    instrument, legal document, legal instrument, official document

    (law) a document that states some contractual relationship or grants some right
11. noun

    the status of being a champion
    “he held the title for two years”

    synonyms: championship

    types:

    triple crown

    (baseball) an unofficial title won by a batter who leads the league in hitting average, runs batted in, and home runs

    triple crown

    (horse racing) a title won by a horse that can win the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes and the Preakness

    type of:

    high status

    a position of superior status
12. noun

    (usually plural) written material introduced into a movie or TV show to give credits or represent dialogue or explain an action
    “the titles go by faster than I can read”

    type of:

    piece of writing, writing, written material

    the work of a writer; anything expressed in letters of the alphabet (especially when considered from the point of view of style and effect)