WordGarden.iocaption
B2Pronunciation
UK
- /kˈæpʃən/
US
- /ˈkæpʃən/
Meanings
Noun
a short text that explains or accompanies an image, illustration, or post
text on a video or broadcast that transcribes speech or sound
the heading of a legal document that identifies a case or parties
Verb
to add a caption or captions to an image, post, or video
Beyond the definition
A caption is the little bit of text that goes with a picture—often just a line or two underneath it—explaining what you're looking at. Think of magazine photos with a short sentence describing the scene, or the text under images on social media. But captions aren't only for pictures: they can also be the title or brief explanation that goes with a chart, graph, or table. And in video, captions (especially closed captions) appear on screen to show the words being spoken—often with extra notes like who is speaking or what sounds are happening. In all these cases, the goal is the same: give context and make what you're seeing (or hearing) easier to understand.
A caption most commonly refers to the text that accompanies an image—a photograph, illustration, or other visual element. It's like a little voice explaining what's happening in the picture: it can provide context, identify people, or add interesting details. You'll find captions everywhere: in newspapers and magazines describing news photos, on social media platforms like Instagram alongside personal snapshots, and even beneath artwork in a museum.
However, "caption" has broader uses too! It can also refer to a title or heading for a chart, table, graph, or other visual representation of data. This type of caption helps explain what the information means. Think of a bar graph showing sales figures—the caption would tell you what those numbers represent (e.g., "Annual Sales by Region").
Captions are also used in video as on-screen text that represents the audio. People sometimes use "captions" and "subtitles" interchangeably, but captions often include more than just the words (for example, sound effects or speaker labels), while subtitles usually focus on translating or displaying dialogue. "Closed captions" can typically be turned on or off by the viewer. In a legal context, a "caption" refers to the heading of a formal document that lists the names of the parties, the court, and the case number.
So, whether it's adding context to a photo, explaining data, or providing subtitles for a film, a caption is all about giving information and enhancing understanding—it's the supporting text that brings visuals to life.
Examples
- 1
Photo label
The newspaper printed the wrong caption under the photo.
- 2
Social media
She added a short caption before posting the picture online.
- 3
Travel posts
His travel posts always have funny captions.
- 4
Video accessibility
I turned on captions so I could follow the movie in a noisy room.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Training videos
The training videos are captioned in both English and Spanish.
- 6
Content editing
Please caption the interview before you upload it to the website.
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- captionnounverb
Forms
- captionspluralnounverb
- captionedpast tenseverbnoun
- captioning-ing formverbnoun