diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 4904249e0..80899c844 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ Features added
 * #2245: Add ``latex_elements["passoptionstopackages"]`` option to call PassOptionsToPackages
   in early stage of preambles.
 * PR #2340: Math extension: support alignment of multiple equations for MathJAX.
+* #2338: Define ``\titlereference`` macro to redefine the style of `title-reference` roles.
 
 Bugs fixed
 ----------
diff --git a/sphinx/texinputs/sphinx.sty b/sphinx/texinputs/sphinx.sty
index 8e40a13ae..dc8bbdd5f 100644
--- a/sphinx/texinputs/sphinx.sty
+++ b/sphinx/texinputs/sphinx.sty
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@
 \newcommand{\bfcode}[1]{\code{\bfseries#1}}
 \newcommand{\email}[1]{\textsf{#1}}
 \newcommand{\tablecontinued}[1]{\textsf{#1}}
+\newcommand{\titlereference}[1]{\emph{#1}}
 
 % Redefine the Verbatim environment to allow border and background colors.
 % The original environment is still used for verbatims within tables.
diff --git a/sphinx/writers/latex.py b/sphinx/writers/latex.py
index d86a0d68c..bc2baf50a 100644
--- a/sphinx/writers/latex.py
+++ b/sphinx/writers/latex.py
@@ -1699,7 +1699,7 @@ class LaTeXTranslator(nodes.NodeVisitor):
         return self.depart_literal_emphasis(node)
 
     def visit_title_reference(self, node):
-        self.body.append(r'\emph{')
+        self.body.append(r'\titlereference{')
 
     def depart_title_reference(self, node):
         self.body.append('}')