abbreviation
TTS
tee-tee-ESS
TTS (abbreviation) means Text to speech: technology that converts written text into spoken audio, used in screen readers, satnavs, voice assistants and video narration. Example: “He runs his articles through TTS and listens on the commute.”
abbreviation
1
technical Text to speech: technology that converts written text into spoken audio, used in screen readers, satnavs, voice assistants and video narration.
"He runs his articles through TTS and listens on the commute."
"The video uses a TTS voice rather than a real narrator."
2
informal True to size, used in clothing and footwear reviews to say that an item fits as the labelled size suggests.
"These trainers run TTS, so order your usual."
How to use TTS
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSoftware that reads written text out loud.
When to use it
Technical shorthand, common in software, accessibility and content-creation contexts. Capitalised in all senses.
Memory tip
In a tech article TTS is text to speech; in a product review of clothing or shoes it is true to size.
Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
Common pairings
TTS voice
TTS engine
AI TTS
fits TTS
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He runs his articles through _____ and listens on the commute.
Etymology
An initialism of text to speech.
Synonyms
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speech synthesis
voice synthesis
Antonyms
speech to text
STT
Rhymes for TTS
See all rhymes for TTS →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between TTS and STT?
They run in opposite directions. TTS (text to speech) turns written words into audio; STT (speech to text), also called ASR or speech recognition, turns spoken audio into written words. Dictation is STT; a screen reader is TTS.
What does TTS mean in shoe reviews?
"True to size" — the item fits as the label says, so you should buy your normal size. Reviewers contrast it with "runs small" or "runs large", and often add half-size advice such as "TTS but narrow".
Is AI voice the same as TTS?
AI voice is modern TTS. The term TTS covers everything from the flat robotic voices of older systems to today's neural models that clone a specific speaker, so the underlying task is identical even though the quality is not.
What is the meaning of TTS?
"TTS" (abbreviation) means text to speech: technology that converts written text into spoken audio, used in screen readers, satnavs, voice assistants and video narration.
