Title and tittle look similar, but they are different words. The extra t changes both the meaning and the pronunciation.
A title is the name of something such as a book, film, song, or article. Choose this spelling when you are talking about what a work is called.
- The title of her new novel is The Glass Garden.
- Please write the article’s title at the top of the page.
A tittle is a small written mark, especially the dot above a lowercase i or j. This is a specialised word rather than one most people need in everyday conversation.
- The designer made the tittle above the lowercase i unusually large.
The word can also mean a very small amount or detail. You may encounter it in the expression a jot or tittle, often in a negative statement. This expression sounds formal or old-fashioned.
- The editor refused to alter a jot or tittle of the original text.
In that sentence, the editor would not change even the smallest detail. The word does not refer to the text’s name.
The pronunciation also differs: title begins with the vowel sound in tie, while tittle begins with the vowel sound in sit. If you encounter the less familiar spelling while reading, check the context before assuming it is a typing mistake.
