honorary

adjective

hon·​or·​ary ˈä-nə-ˌrer-ē How to pronounce honorary (audio)
1
a
: having or conferring distinction
an honorary engineering society
b
: commemorative
an honorary plaque
2
: dependent on honor or a keen sense of ethical conduct for fulfillment
an honorary obligation
3
a
: conferred or elected in recognition of achievement or service without the usual prerequisites or obligations
an honorary degree
an honorary member
b
: unpaid, voluntary
an honorary chairman
honorarily adverb
honorary noun

Examples of honorary in a Sentence

He was awarded an honorary degree. He's an honorary member of the club. He is the honorary president of the commission.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Vogue announced Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, A$AP Rocky, Williams and Anna Wintour would be co-chairs for this year's Met Gala in October 2024, alongside LeBron James as an honorary chair. Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 9 May 2025 Wintour’s co-chairs for the gala this year included Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, Variety cover star A$AP Rocky, Pharrell Williams and honorary chair LeBron James. Matt Donnelly, Variety, 8 May 2025 Sue Hendrickson — who did not have a high school diploma — received her first university credentials in the form of an honorary doctorate of humane letters from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 7 May 2025 Lakers star LeBron James served as an honorary co-chair but did not attend the annual fashion gathering due to an injury. Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for honorary

Word History

Etymology

Latin honorarius, from honor

First Known Use

1606, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of honorary was in 1606

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Honorary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/honorary. Accessed 13 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

honorary

adjective
hon·​or·​ary ˈän-ə-ˌrer-ē How to pronounce honorary (audio)
1
: given or done as a sign of honor
an honorary degree
2
: voluntary entry 1 sense 1, unpaid
honorary president
honorarily adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on honorary

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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