titular

1 of 2

adjective

tit·​u·​lar ˈti-chə-lər How to pronounce titular (audio)
ˈtich-lər
1
a
: having the title and usually the honors belonging to an office or dignity without the duties, functions, or responsibilities
the titular head of a political party
b
: existing in title only
especially : bearing a title derived from a defunct ecclesiastical jurisdiction (such as an episcopal see)
a titular bishop
2
: of, relating to, or constituting a title
the titular hero of the play
3
: bearing a title : titled
titularly adverb

titular

2 of 2

noun

: a person holding a title

Examples of titular in a Sentence

Adjective Although retired, he remains the titular chairman of the company. he's the titular head of the department, though it's the assistant managers who largely run things around here
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Gosling was originally cast in the lead role before exiting the project; Abbott took over the titular part. Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 18 Oct. 2024 Author Helen Fielding recently opened up about her newfound fanbase at the Cheltenham Literature Festival and how the titular character has become even more relevant to friends of her 18-year-old daughter, amid the age of TikTok and the Body Positivity Movement. Glenn Garner, Deadline, 17 Oct. 2024 The part originally played by Timothy Olyphant has been taken over by Adam Driver—a specialist in magnetic brutes—whose recent movie roles have tended to be titular titans of industry and/or guys with accents. Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2024 Many were even sent across the Atlantic so Holland could give notes while playing the titular Montague in Romeo & Juliet in London. Lela London, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for titular 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'titular.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin titulus title

First Known Use

Adjective

1591, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1540, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of titular was in 1540

Dictionary Entries Near titular

Cite this Entry

“Titular.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/titular. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

titular

adjective
tit·​u·​lar
ˈtich-(ə-)lər
: being something in title only : nominal
the titular head of state
titularly adverb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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