titular

1 of 2

adjective

Synonyms of titular
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

Synonyms of titular

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
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.
Adjective
The actual titular story of this premiere is more of a wacky subplot. Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026 Nicolas Cage stars in the titular role alongside Christian Bale, Kathy Hahn, Matt Medrano and Derrick Goodman Jr. Jack Dunn, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026 Starring Yara Elham Jarrar and for Israeli-Arab language network Makan TV, Fadia follows the titular character, who left for dead by family in the name of honor but rescued by neighbors, who risk everything to ensure her continued safety. Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 25 Aug. 2026 On the show, Nelson played the titular coach, Hayden Fox, who leads a college football team. Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for titular

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Titular.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/titular. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Kids Definition

titular

adjective
tit·​u·​lar
ˈtich-(ə-)lər
: being something in title only : nominal
the titular head of state
titularly adverb
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!