honorary
Americanadjective
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given for honor only, without the usual requirements, duties, privileges, emoluments, etc..
The university presented the new governor with an honorary degree.
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holding a title or position conferred for honor only.
an honorary president.
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(of an obligation) depending on one's honor for fulfillment.
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conferring or commemorating honor or distinction.
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given, made, or serving as a token of honor.
an honorary gift.
adjective
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(esp of a position, title, etc) held or given only as an honour, without the normal privileges or duties
an honorary degree
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(of a secretary, treasurer, etc) unpaid
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having such a position or title
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depending on honour rather than legal agreement
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of honorary
First recorded in 1605–15, honorary is from the Latin word honōrārius relating to honor. See honor, -ary
Explanation
Honorary titles or awards are given to people out of respect. There's a big difference between a regular Ph.D. and an honorary Ph.D. To get the regular one, you have to go to school for many years. On the other hand, an honorary Ph.D. is given to a respected or beloved person who didn’t go through the program. An honorary position in a government may sound fancy, but it carries no power or responsibilities (and is usually unpaid). In many ways, it’s not a real position. Honorary things are just titles.
Vocabulary lists containing honorary
Born a Crime
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Academy Awards, List 2
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The Darkest Minds
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Despite Harry and Meghan’s entreaties, they were stripped of royal patronages and honorary military titles.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026
She also received an honorary doctorate degree of letters from Carson-Newman University in Jefferson City, Tenn., in 1990.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 31, 2026
Mr. Kidd describes this as “a spectacular breach of conventional academic protocol,” especially as the dons conferred unopposed—on the same day—an honorary degree on Alessandro Pertini, the 88-year-old Italian president.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026
And her Knicks won the NBA championship — she’s at this point an honorary Knick.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
I remembered he was an honorary member of the council, but I’d never thought about it much.
From "The Battle of the Labyrinth" by Rick Riordan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
