What does retitle mean?
Retitle means to give a book, film, article, or other work a different title. It is especially associated with editorial decisions in publishing, journalism, film, and broadcasting, where the original title may be changed for clarity, marketing, or to reflect revised content. The verb is transitive: a publisher might retitle a book, or a broadcaster might retitle a programme after an initial release. Although retitle can be used wherever a name is changed, it is more precise than the broader verb rename when referring specifically to a title. The word is chiefly used in British English, while rename remains the more usual general term in North American English. Retitle is also used when a title is revised rather than entirely replaced, although the usual implication is that the work receives a new title.
verbTo give something a new title, especially a book, film, article, or other published work. It can also mean to change the title of something that already has one.
- To give a new title to a book, film, article, or other work.
- To change or revise the title of something that already has a title.
"The editor decided to retitle the article to make it more accessible."
"The production company retitled the film shortly before its release."
"After the book was republished, the author retitled it for a younger audience."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does retitle come from?
Retitle was formed in English by combining the prefix re-, meaning again, with the word title. The word title comes through Old French titre from Latin titulus, a term associated with a name, heading, or inscription. The same Latin root appears in related words such as entitle, entitlement, and titular.
Related word forms
How retitle is actually used
Chiefly British in current usage. In North American English, rename is generally more common, although retitle is understood and used in editorial and publishing contexts.
Easily confused with retitle
Rename is the general word for giving something a different name, while retitle is more specifically used for changing the title of a published work or similar creative product.