A title of honor or honorary title is a title bestowed upon individuals or organizations as an
award in recognition of their merits.
Sometimes the title bears the same or nearly the same name as a
title of authority, but the person bestowed does not have to carry out any duties, except for ceremonial ones. In some cases, these titles are bestowed posthumously.
Some examples of honorary titles from various areas are:
*
Academician –
Honorary title (academic)
*
Fellow
A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context.
In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements.
Within the context of higher education ...
of an academic, artistic, or professional society
*
Freeman of the City of London
*
Hero of the Russian Federation
*
Honorary Colonel
*
Honorary degree or position, such as honorary Professor
*
Knight,
Dame, or
Companion
Companion may refer to:
Relationships Currently
* Any of several interpersonal relationships such as friend or acquaintance
* A domestic partner, akin to a spouse
* Sober companion, an addiction treatment coach
* Companion (caregiving), a caregive ...
of an honorific order
*
New Knowledge Worker of Korea
*
People's Artist
* Honorary counselors (''neuvos'') in Finland, such as
valtioneuvos (Counselor of State) and
vuorineuvos (Counselor of Mining)
Some historical honorary titles may be bought, like certain titles of
nobility
Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy (class), aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below Royal family, royalty. Nobility has often been an Estates of the realm, estate of the realm with many e ...
. This has long been a matter of fraud, both outright and indirect. Honorary titles also serve as positions of
sinecure and honorary
retirement.
See also
*
Honorary citizenship
*
Agnomen, part of the Roman naming convention
*
Courtesy title
A courtesy title is a title that does not have legal significance but rather is used through custom or courtesy, particularly, in the context of nobility, the titles used by children of members of the nobility (cf. substantive title).
In some c ...
, a form of address in systems of nobility used by children, former wives and other close relatives of a peer
*
False titles of nobility
*
Hereditary titles
*
Honorary title (academic)
*
Honorary titles in Russia
*
Honorific
An honorific is a title that conveys esteem, courtesy, or respect for position or rank when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes, the term "honorific" is used in a more specific sense to refer to an honorary academic title. It ...
*
Laqab, part of a traditional Arabic name
*
List of titles
*
Royal and noble styles
*
Style (manner of address)
A style of office or form of address, also called manner of address, is an official or legally recognized form of address for a person or other entity (such as a government or company), and may often be used in conjunction with a personal title. ...
*
Victory title, honorific title adopted by a successful military commander to commemorate a victory
External links
Fake titles
Honorary titles
{{Award-stub