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 She also was appointed to the honorary post of chancellor at the College of William and Mary in Virginia. Mark Sherman The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 2 Dec. 2023 After 15 seasons, Jackson officially retired from the NFL on Friday, signing a one-day contract with the Eagles and will serve as an honorary team captain during their game against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. Angelique Jackson, Variety, 1 Dec. 2023 The Dalai Lama is an honorary citizen of Canada, and thus that government has the responsibility to protect his religious freedom. Lobsang Sangay, Foreign Affairs, 6 Nov. 2023 Spirit of Ireland Gala Irish Arts Center honored Stephen Colbert at its Spirit of Ireland Gala in NYC on Friday, with appearances by the Center’s longtime honorary chairs Gabriel Byrne and Liam Neeson. Kirsten Chuba, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Nov. 2023 Due to nepotism rules, Rosalynn Carter could only be the honorary chair, but nobody doubted who was in control. Phyllis Vine, STAT, 21 Nov. 2023 Barred by statute from serving in an official capacity, Mrs. Carter was named honorary chairwoman of her husband’s mental health commission and led the White House Conference on Aging. Katharine Q. Seelye, New York Times, 19 Nov. 2023 Norris was made an honorary United States Marine in 2007. Alexis Chestnov, Peoplemag, 10 Nov. 2023 Later that year, Swift herself showed up at NYU’s commencement ceremony to accept an honorary doctorate degree and deliver a speech to the graduates. Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 1 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'honorary.' 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

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

Dictionary Entries Near honorary

Cite this Entry

“Honorary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/honorary. Accessed 11 Dec. 2023.

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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