tittle: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal, literary
Quick answer
What does “tittle” mean?
A very small part or detail.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A very small part or detail; specifically, a small stroke or dot in writing or printing, such as the dot over an 'i' or 'j'.
Often used in the phrase 'jot or tittle' to emphasize that not even the smallest detail is overlooked or changed, extending to any minor or trivial aspect.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage.
Connotations
Similarly formal and slightly archaic in both British and American English.
Frequency
Equally rare in both varieties, primarily encountered in fixed phrases or specialized contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “tittle” in a Sentence
of-phrase (e.g., a tittle of evidence)in negative constructions (e.g., not a tittle)with quantifiers (e.g., every tittle)Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used; if employed, in legal or formal documents to emphasize thoroughness or lack of change in details.
Academic
Found in literary criticism, linguistic studies, or historical texts discussing minutiae or typography.
Everyday
Very rare; mostly limited to the fixed phrase 'jot or tittle' in casual speech.
Technical
In typography and printing, refers specifically to the dot over 'i' or 'j' or other small diacritical marks.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “tittle”
- Misspelling as 'title'.
- Mispronunciation as /ˈtaɪ.təl/ (like 'title').
- Using in contexts where 'detail' or 'dot' would be more appropriate.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It derives from Latin 'titulus' meaning 'inscription' or 'title', via Old French, and entered Middle English with the sense of a small mark or accent.
Primarily in the fixed phrase 'jot or tittle' to mean every small detail, often in formal or literary contexts to emphasize completeness or lack of change.
No, it is rare and considered formal or archaic; most encounters are in written texts, idioms, or specialized fields like typography.
Historically, it could be a verb meaning to chatter or titillate, but this usage is obsolete; in contemporary English, it is almost exclusively a noun.
A very small part or detail.
Tittle is usually formal, literary in register.
Tittle: in British English it is pronounced /ˈtɪt.l̩/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈtɪt.əl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “jot or tittle”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the 'ittle' in 'little' – a tittle is a little dot or detail, like the dot on an 'i'.
Conceptual Metaphor
DETAILS ARE SMALL MARKS; INSIGNIFICANCE IS SMALLNESS
Practice
Quiz
What does 'tittle' specifically refer to in typography?