entitle
UK[ɪnˈtaɪ.təl]US[ɪnˈtaɪ.təl]
v
To give a title to a book, play, etc.
v
To give someone the right to do or have something.
Morpheme Breakdown
en
title
en
to put into
title
name
Etymology
The verb 'entitle' is formed by combining the prefix 'en-', derived from Latin 'in-' (meaning 'in, into'), with the noun 'title', which originates from Latin 'titulus', signifying an inscription or label. The literal construction "to put into a title" or "to give a title to" evolved in Middle English from Anglo-French 'entitler'. Over time, the meaning extended metaphorically from the concrete act of naming a creative work to the more abstract legal and social concept of granting a right or claim, which is itself a form of "naming" one's due. Thus, the logic progresses from the physical act of labeling to the conferral of a designated status or privilege.
Analysis
Structure: en (to put into) + title (name)
- en: A prefix of Latin origin (via French), meaning "to put into, to cause to be". It functions as a verb-forming prefix.
- title: A noun of Latin origin (titulus, meaning 'label, inscription'), functioning as the core semantic base of the word.
Examples
He wrote a book entitled "The Long Road Home".
This ticket entitles you to a free drink.
Full-time employees are entitled to health insurance.