What does dubbing mean?
Dubbing is the process of recording a new soundtrack for a film or video, most commonly to replace the original dialogue with speech in another language so that viewers hear actors speaking their own tongue. It is also used more broadly for replacing a performer's voice after filming, whether for technical reasons, censorship, or casting changes. Dubbing is a major industry in countries such as Germany, Italy, France, and Spain, where foreign films are routinely shown with dubbed rather than subtitled dialogue, though purists often argue that it flattens an actor's vocal performance. Separately, in the specialized world of fly-fishing, dubbing refers to soft material such as fur or wool that anglers twist onto thread to build the bodies of artificial flies. The word derives ultimately from the verb "dub", meaning to add a soundtrack or confer a title.
The process of adding or replacing a soundtrack on a film or video, especially substituting translated dialogue recorded by voice actors.
"The Italian dubbing was praised for capturing the lead actor's comedic timing."
Often contrasted with subtitling as two approaches to making foreign films accessible.
Soft material such as fur, wool, or synthetic fibers used by fly-tiers to form the body of an artificial fly.
"A pinch of rabbit dubbing gave the nymph a lifelike, translucent quality."
Rarely pluralized; "dubbing" is normally uncountable when referring to the process, and the plural appears only occasionally when counting distinct instances or types of material.
"Several dubbings of the film were prepared for different regional markets."
In many European countries, audiences rarely hear an actor's real voice at the cinema — entire industries exist just to replace it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of dubbing
Dubbing comes from the verb "dub", which in its filmmaking sense appeared in the early twentieth century as sound cinema developed; that sense is widely thought to be short for "double", since a new voice doubles or replaces the original one. A separate, older verb "dub", dating back to Old English and Old Norse roots, means to confer knighthood or a nickname by tapping or naming, and its -ing form shares the same spelling. In angling, "dubbing" as fly-tying material has been used since at least the seventeenth century.
Related word forms
How dubbing is actually used
As a film-industry term, "dubbing" is neutral and standard in both British and American English. In angling contexts it is a specialist term familiar mainly to fly-tiers. As the -ing form of the verb "dub", it can also mean the act of conferring a knighthood ("the dubbing of new knights") or giving someone a nickname.
Easily confused with dubbing
Dubbing replaces the original spoken audio with a new recorded track, while subtitling keeps the original audio and displays translated text on screen.