titular

[tich-uh-ler, tit-yuh-]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR titular ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

existing or being such in title only; nominal; having the title but none of the associated duties, powers, etc.: the titular head of the company.

from whom or which a title or name is taken: His titular Saint is Michael.

of, relating to, or of the nature of a title.

having a title, especially of rank.

designating any of the Roman Catholic churches in Rome whose nominal incumbents are cardinals.

noun

a person who bears a title.

a person from whom or thing from which a title or name is taken.

Ecclesiastical. a person entitled to a benefice but not required to perform its duties.

Origin of titular

1585–95; < Latin titul(us) title + -ar¹

Related formstit·u·lar·i·ty

[tich-uh-lar-i-tee, tit-yuh-] /ˌtɪtʃ əˈlær ɪ ti, ˌtɪt yə-/, nountit·u·lar·ly, adverbmul·ti·tit·u·lar, adjectivenon·tit·u·lar, adjectivenon·tit·u·lar·ly, adverbun·tit·u·lar, adjectiveun·tit·u·lar·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for titular

nominal, so-called, supposed

Examples from the Web for titular

Contemporary Examples of titular

In 2002, the episode “Blame It on Lisa” took the titular family to Brazil.
Mr. Simpson Goes to Washington: How Homer Influenced Politics
Asawin Suebsaeng
August 27, 2014
George Soros, also 83, is titular chairman of Soros Fund Management.
Don’t Count Rupert Murdoch Out Yet: Why The Magnate Hasn’t Given Up on Time Warner
Daniel Gross
July 16, 2014
For example, Mehmet Oz, the host of his titular show Dr Oz, already has an “effect” named after him.
We Should Celebrate Social Media's Slaying of Robin Thicke
Tauriq Moosa
July 4, 2014
Ian McKellen took on the titular role in the 1995 film version of Richard III.
Shakespeare’s Movie Magic
Marina Watts, Malcolm Jones
April 24, 2014
Laurence Fishburne is the titular character in the 1995 film of Othello.
Shakespeare’s Movie Magic
Marina Watts, Malcolm Jones
April 24, 2014

Historical Examples of titular

The names of most of these are titular, but some are territorial and a few totemistic.
The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India
R. V. Russell
As for the titular mother, she had not an atom of character of any kind.
Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, No. 461
Various
He reviewed his information on Dovenilid titular systems while he touched the switch.
Citadel
Algirdas Jonas Budrys
In 1855 the third of the Titular Nawabs died without any son to succeed him.
The Story of Madras
Glyn Barlow
I fell under that titular avalanche a torn and blighted thing.
The Innocents Abroad
Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)

British Dictionary definitions for titular

titular

titulary (ˈtɪtjʊlərɪ)

adjective

of, relating to, or of the nature of a title

in name only

bearing a title

giving a title

RC Church designating any of certain churches in Rome to whom cardinals or bishops are attached as their nominal incumbents

noun plural -lars or -laries

the bearer of a title

the bearer of a nominal office

Derived Formstitularly, adverb

Word Origin for titular

C18: from French titulaire, from Latin titulus title

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for titular

adj.

1590s, perhaps by influence of Middle French titulaire, from Latin titulus (see title).