auto caption

[ aw-toh kap-shuhn ]

noun

, Digital Technology.

1. a transcription or translation of spoken language in video content, generated by a speech-recognition algorithm and displayed as a text overlay on the lower part of the screen:

   The AI doesn’t understand my thick accent, so the auto captions for my how-to videos have all kinds of funny errors.

Other Words From

• au·to-cap·tion verb (used with object)
• au·to-cap·tion·ed adjective
• au·to cap·tion·ing au·to-cap·tion·ing noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of auto caption¹

First recorded in 2000–05