ti·tle / ˈtītl/ • n. 1. the name of a book, composition, or other artistic work: the author and title of the book. ∎  (usu. as titles) a caption or credit in a movie or broadcast. ∎  a book, magazine, or newspaper considered as a publication: the company publishes 400 titles a year.2. a name that describes someone's position or job: Leese assumed the title of director general. ∎  a word such as Senator or Dame that is used before someone's name, or a form that is used instead of someone's name, to indicate high social or official rank: he will inherit the title of Duke of Marlborough. ∎  a word such as Mrs. or Dr. that is used before someone's name to indicate their profession or marital status. ∎  a descriptive or distinctive name that is earned or chosen: Nata's deserved the title of Best Restaurant of the Year.3. the position of being the champion of a major sports competition: Davis won the world title for the first time in 1981.4. Law a right or claim to the ownership of property or to a rank or throne: a local family had title to the property| the buyer acquires a good title to the merchandise. 5. (in church use) a fixed sphere of work and source of income as a condition for ordination. ∎  a parish church in Rome under a cardinal.• v. [tr.] (usu. be titled) give a name to (a book, composition, or other work): a song titled "You Rascal, You."

TITLE

Inproperty law, a comprehensive term referring to the legal basis of the ownership of property, encompassing real andpersonal propertyand intangible and tangible interests therein; also a document serving as evidence of ownership of property, such as the certificate of title to a motor vehicle.

In regard to legislation, the heading or preliminary part of a particular statute that designates the name by which that act is known.

In the law oftrademarks, the name of an item that may be used exclusively by an individual for identification purposes to indicate the quality and origin of the item.

In the law of property, title in its broadest sense refers to all rights that can be secured and enjoyed under the law. It is frequently synonymous with absolute ownership. Title to property ordinarily signifies an estate in fee simple, which means that the holder has full and absolute ownership. The term does not necessarily imply absolute ownership, however; it can also mean mere possession or the right thereof.

The title of a statute is ordinarily prefixed to the text of a statute in the form of a concise summary of its contents, such as "An act for the prevention of the abuse of narcotics." Other statutes are given titles that briefly describe the subject matter, such as the "Americans with Disabilities Act." State constitutions commonly provide that every bill introduced in the state legislature must have a single subject expressed by the bill's title. Congress is under no such restriction under the U.S. Constitution, but House and Senate rules do have some guidelines for federal bills and statutes. Many, though not all, federal statutes have titles.

Under trademark law, if a publisher adopts a name, or title, for a magazine and uses it extensively in compliance with the law, the publisher may acquire a right to be protected in the exclusive use of that title. A trademark of the title can only be acquired through actual use of the title in connection with the goods, in this example, the magazine. Merely planning to use the title does not give rise to legally enforceable trademark rights.

cross-references

Title Insurance; Title Search.

title †inscription or legend; ground of right or claim XIII; name of a book, etc., descriptive appellation XIV; (eccl.) certificate of presentation to a benefice, etc.; legal right to possession XV. — OF. title (mod. titre) — L. titulus placard, inscription, title.