figurehead

[ fig-yer-hed ]

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.

figurehead

/ 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of figurehead¹

First recorded in 1755–65; figure + head

Example Sentences

If presidents are often thought of as figureheads for a political party, video game presidents are stand-ins for many different functions.

From Washington Post

Fox News host Tucker Carlson, whose fears of change include a dystopian Starbucks-drinking future, is the chief figurehead of the Say Anything style.

From Ozy

He quickly realized he was more of a figurehead, he said, than someone who had significant control over the chain.

From Washington Post

Not only is the highly esteemed Berners-Lee the figurehead for Inrupt, but the company also has cybersecurity guru Bruce Schneier as its chief of security architecture.

From Fortune

It’s not even so much policy-based, I just think politics has become so much of a machine — and I like having the feeling that one person can ultimately make the decision, that he is not just the figurehead and the machine is running everything.

From Ozy

How will we know if Kim, when he eventually surfaces, is ruler or figurehead?

From The Daily Beast

Waters herself is a gay figurehead, but again she shrinks from any compliments.

From The Daily Beast

Less than 12 hours later, they lost their inspirational figurehead.

From The Daily Beast

He may be a figurehead, but the president who is elected today is worth keeping an eye on for signs of where Pakistan is going.

From The Daily Beast

Indeed, Medvedev was never really more than a figurehead president, despite the theoretically huge powers attached to the job.

From The Daily Beast

The statues here, and the lions before the Prince of Orange's palace, would disgrace almost the figurehead of a ship.

From Project Gutenberg

Without power or privileges, she was a mere figurehead—a good mother looking after her family.

From Project Gutenberg

The Speaking Oak then bade him cut off one of its great limbs, and carve from it a figurehead for his ship.

From Project Gutenberg

Would people really prefer a figurehead and a symbol of undisputed authority?

From Project Gutenberg

Walking steadily, but with a face set as the figurehead on one of his own ships, the captain went to answer the knock.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• cipher
• nonentity
• puppet