figurehead

American  

[fig-yer-hed] / ˈfɪg yərˌhɛd /

noun

1. a person who is head heads of a group, company, etc., in title but actually has no real authority or responsibility.

   Most modern kings and queens are figureheads.

2. Nautical. a carved full-length figure or bust built into the bow of a sailing ship.

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figurehead British  

/ ˈfɪɡəˌhɛd /

noun

1. a person nominally having a prominent position, but no real authority

2. a carved bust or full-length figure at the upper end of the stems of some sailing vessels

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Etymology

Origin of figurehead

First recorded in 1755–65; figure + head

Example Sentences

And in 2018’s “Pope Francis: A Man of His Word,” Wenders was given rare access to Western religion’s most prominent figurehead as he preached progressive values around the world.

From Salon • Mar. 6, 2026

There are some 95 million Anglicans around the world with the Archbishop of Canterbury as their spiritual figurehead.

From BBC • Mar. 5, 2026

This "is what replacing looks like," added Polanski, a charismatic figurehead some liken to New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and who only took charge of the Greens last September.

From Barron's • Feb. 27, 2026

Simply getting Zuckerberg on the stand Wednesday was a coup for the plaintiffs and a potential liability for his company’s platforms, which must now contend with profound public distaste for the Meta figurehead.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 18, 2026

Even Festus the figurehead was trying to help.

From "Blood of Olympus" by Rick Riordan

Related Words

• cipher
• nonentity
• puppet