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Subtitle vs Caption - What's the difference?

subtitle | caption |

As nouns the difference between subtitle and caption

is that subtitle is a heading below or after a title while caption is (typography) the descriptive heading or title of a document or part therof.

As verbs the difference between subtitle and caption

is that subtitle is to create subtitles for the dialog in a film while caption is to add captions to a text or illustration.

subtitle

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A heading below or after a title.
  • Textual versions of the dialog in films, usually displayed at the bottom of the screen.

    • Usage notes

    In film and video, subtitles'' usually translate foreign-language dialogue, while ''captions transcribe or describe all significant dialogue and sound for viewers who cannot hear it.

    Derived terms

    * subtitled, subtitling

    Related terms

    * surtitle, surtitles, surtitled, surtitling

    See also

    * *

    Verb

    (en-verb)
  • To create subtitles for the dialog in a film.

    • Anagrams

    *

    caption

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (typography) The descriptive heading or title of a document or part therof
  • A title or brief explanation attached to an illustration, cartoon, user interface element, etc.
  • (cinematography) A piece of text appearing on screen as subtitle or other part of a film or broadcast.
  • (legal) The section on an official paper that describes when, where, what was taken, found or executed, and by whom it was authorized.
  • (obsolete, legal) A seizure or capture, especially of tangible property (chattel).
  • * 1919 Thomas Welburn Hughes. A treatise on criminal law and procedure. The Bobbs-Merril Co., Indianapolis, IN, USA. Sec. 557 (p. 378).
    • The caption and asportation must be felonious.

    Usage notes

    In film and video, captions'' may transcribe or describe all significant dialogue and sound for viewers who cannot hear it, while ''subtitles translate foreign-language dialogue.

    Derived terms

    * captionable, captioned, captioner, captioning * (film) closed caption, closed-caption, closed captions, closed captioned, closed-captioned, close captioned, close-captioned, closed captioning, closed-captioning * (film) open caption, open-caption, open captions * (film) real time caption, real-time caption, real time captioning, real-time captioning

    Related terms

    * captious * captivate * captive * capture

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To add captions to a text or illustration.
    • Only once the drawing is done will the letterer caption it.
  • To add captions to a film or broadcast.

    • Anagrams

    Pontiac