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
Nosferatu In 2024 Depp appeared in Robert Eggers’s Nosferatu as Ellen Hutter, a young woman tormented and nearly possessed by the film’s titular vampire. Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Sep. 2026 He is best known internationally, however, for his big screen adaptation of Edmond Rostand’s 1897 stage play Cyrano de Bergerac starring Gerard Depardieu in the titular role. Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2026 Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively first met on the set of Green Lanternin 2010, with Reynolds playing the titular superhero character and Lively as his love interest Carol Ferris. Alexandra Schonfeld, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026 Using the likeness of late actor Toshiro Mifune certainly helps, but there’s a lot of subtle and not-so-subtle facial work in this game that breathes life into Miyamoto Musashi, the titular Onimusha. Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 31 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 4 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!

More from Merriam-Webster