What does "caption" mean?
The descriptive heading or title, of a document or part thereof.
Caption
/ˈkæp.ʃən/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The descriptive heading or title, of a document or part thereof.
- Grammar: caption is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: legend, subtitle, affix label, anchorage.
- Useful contrasts: general text, audio track, balloon.
- Usage evidence: Imogen of the Internet cannot look at a cat, even a dead one, without coming up with a blood-curdlingly saccharine, egregiously misspelled caption in 60-point white Impact.
How to use "caption"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "caption" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "caption" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "caption" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "caption" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "caption" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "legend" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "caption", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The descriptive heading or title, of a document or part thereof.
- 2 brief description accompanying an illustration wordnet
- 3 A title or brief explanation attached to an illustration, cartoon, user interface element, etc.
"Some of the photographs are new and interesting, but many captions are amateurish, uninformative or simply careless."
- 4 translation of foreign dialogue of a movie or TV program; usually displayed at the bottom of the screen wordnet
- 5 A piece of text appearing on screen as a subtitle or other part of a film or broadcast, describing dialogue (and sometimes other sound) for viewers who cannot hear.
"(theater, performance production) By analogy, text in a similar system used in a performance venue for transcription of a live event."
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 taking exception; especially a quibble based on a captious argument wordnet
- 7 The section on an official paper (for example, as part of a seizure or capture) that describes when, where, and what was taken, found or executed, and who authorized the act.
- 8 A seizure or capture, especially of tangible property (chattel). obsolete
"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."
- 9 A story that is embedded in a pre-existing image (sometimes with image manipulation) Internet
Verb
- 1 To add captions to a text or illustration.
"Only once the drawing is done will the letterer caption it."
- 2 provide with a caption, as of a photograph or a drawing wordnet
- 3 To add captions to a film or broadcast.
Antonyms
Example
"Imogen of the Internet cannot look at a cat, even a dead one, without coming up with a blood-curdlingly saccharine, egregiously misspelled caption in 60-point white Impact."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "caption"?
Common synonyms include: legend, subtitle, affix label, anchorage, annotate, banner.
How do you use "caption" in a sentence?
Imogen of the Internet cannot look at a cat, even a dead one, without coming up with a blood-curdlingly saccharine, egregiously misspelled caption in 60-point white Impact.
How do you pronounce "caption"?
Pronounced /ˈkæp.ʃən/.
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin captiō (“deception, fraud”), from the past participle of capiō (“I take, I seize”) (English capture). Compare Middle English capcioun (“seizure, capture”).