titular
adjective

- having an important or impressive title but not having the power or duties that usually go with it

- existing in name only

Britannica / Collins Dictionary

—
WORD ORIGIN

“Titular" stems from the Latin titulus meaning an inscription, label or honorable title — passing through French into English in the 1590s, it  assumed the meaning of having a title nominally or officially, but without the full powers implied by that title.

—
IN NAME ONLY

Here are some modern-day examples of the use of "titular":

- Titular Leaders in Corporate Structures
  In some corporations, certain executives may have impressive titles, such as "Vice President of Innovations" but their actual influence on company decisions or policies is minimal. Their role may be more about representing a certain company value or initiative without having substantial authority over it.

- Titular Monarchs
  In constitutional monarchies like the United Kingdom or Sweden, the monarch (such as a king or queen) is considered a titular head of state. They perform ceremonial duties and are symbols of the nation's history and unity, but the real political power is held by elected officials, such as the prime minister and the parliament.

- Titular Positions in Academia or Non-Profits
  In some academic or nonprofit settings, individuals might be given honorary titles, such as "Chairman Emeritus" or "President for Life," which carry prestige but do not come with active managerial responsibilities or decision-making powers.

- Titular Locations in Names
  Some businesses or institutions might include locations in their names that no longer reflect their actual operations. For instance, a bank might retain "New York" in its name despite now having operations primarily in other states or countries.

—
SMUGGLE OWAD into a conversation, say something like:

“Before her passing, Queen Elizabeth II was the TITULAR head of state of the United Kingdom. She performed ceremonial duties and served as a symbol of continuity and unity, but actual executive powers rested with elected officials like the Prime Minister."

—
Why Support OWAD?

On evenings and weekends, I research and write your daily OWAD newsletter together with Helga (my lovely wife and business partner) and our eagle-eyed daughter Jennifer. It remains FREE, AD-FREE, and ALIVE thanks to voluntary donations from appreciative readers.

If you aren’t already, please consider supporting us — even a small donation, equivalent to just 1-cup-of-coffee a month, would help us in covering expenses for mailing, site-hosting, maintenance, and service.

Just head over to DonorBox:
https://donorbox.org/owad-q4-2023-5

or

Bank transfer:
Paul Smith
IBAN: DE75 7316 0000 0002 5477 40

Important: please state as ‘Verwendungszweck’: “OWAD donation” and the email address used to subscribe to OWAD.

Thanks so much,

Paul Smith
(OWAD-Founder)