Titled

How to spell titled

6 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce titled

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does titled mean?

1. adjectiveGiven a particular name or heading, as a book, film, song, or document.
2. adjectiveHolding a formal rank or title of nobility, such as lord, duke, or countess.

Titled in a sentence

• The report was titled "Annual Review of Operations".

• The estate had been owned by the same titled family for centuries.

• She published a memoir titled after her childhood village.

• Only a few titled guests attended the formal reception.

Where does titled come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This word is built on 'title', which descends from the Latin titulus, meaning an inscription, a written label, or a heading placed at the top of something. Romans used a titulus for the placard naming a public work or the notice fixed above a crucified prisoner, so the core idea was always a name or heading given to a thing. The word entered Old English as 'titul' and was then reinforced in the Middle Ages by Old French 'title', settling into its modern spelling. From the sense of a heading it broadened to mean the name of a book or work, and also a formal rank or designation of honour, which is why a person of noble rank could be described as 'titled'. The single 't' before the '-le' and the simple '-ed' ending catch some writers, who are tempted to confuse it with the rather different word 'entitled'.

How the word is built

• title (from Latin titulus: inscription, label, heading)
• -ed (past tense / adjective suffix)