dubbed

Dubbed is the past participle and past tense of the verb dub, used in several related but distinct senses. It can mean to give someone a name, title, or nickname; to confer a knighthood; or to add or replace audio in a recording, especially in film or television.

In historical and formal usage, to dub someone means to grant them a title or honor, often through a ceremonial act. The best-known example is dubbing a knight, where a sword stroke traditionally confers knighthood. In this context, a person who receives the title is described as being dubbed.

In modern media, dubbing refers to the process of creating a new audio track for a media work. This often involves translating dialogue into another language and recording new voices, with the aim of matching the original performers’ lip movements where possible. A film, television program, or video that has undergone this process is called a dubbed version. Dubbing can also refer more generally to audio replacement or enhancement in other contexts, such as video games or radio programs.

Beyond naming and media, the word appears in figurative uses, where a person or work is described as having been dubbed something by critics or the public—for example, “dubbed a classic.” In these cases, the term conveys a labeling or designation rather than a formal title.

See also: dubbing, knighting, nickname, title.