Dictionary

figurehead en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈfɪɡjəɹˌhɛd/
• (Australia) audio
• /ˈfɪɡəɹˌhɛd/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From figure + head.

Meanings

1. A carved figure on the prow of a sailing ship.
2. (broadly, figuratively) Someone in a nominal position of leadership who has little to no actual power.
   • Instead she played, largely impeccably, the part of a modern constitutional monarch, a symbolic figurehead with a right to be consulted and to advise and warn political leaders privately and to show herself publicly as a focus of national life, celebration and commemoration. 2022 September 8, Stephen Bates, “Queen Elizabeth II obituary”, in The Guardian:
   • Evidently he did not mean to be a mere figurehead, but to carry on the old tradition of Wilsthorpe's; and that was considered to be a good thing in itself and an augury for future prosperity. 1928, Lawrence R. Bourne, chapter 2, in Well Tackled!:
   • Supporters of Wagenknecht, a controversial but prominent figurehead, are already hatching plans for a breakaway party to compete in the 2024 European elections, the German newspaper Taz reported this week. 2022 September 19, Philip Oltermann, “Germany’s Die Linke on verge of split over sanctions on Russia”, in The Guardian:
3. (figuratively, obsolete, slang) A person's face.
   • HATCHET. Bring up, I say, or I'll spoil your figurehead. [Lifting his cudgel] 1829, Douglas Jerrold, Black-Eyed Susan; or, All in the Downs:

Forms

Coordinates

front man · fiddlehead · front · frontman · frontperson

Deriveds

figureheadship · figureheadless

wikidata: Q1472275 · wikidata: Q729329

figurehead en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈfɪɡjəɹˌhɛd/
• (Australia) audio
• /ˈfɪɡəɹˌhɛd/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From figure + head.

Meanings

1. (also, idiomatic, intransitive, transitive) To lead (something) nominally and with little to no actual power.

Forms

Translations (58)

es testaferro (someone in a nominal position of leadership) · de Aushängeschild (someone in a nominal position of leadership) · da galionsfigur (carved figure on the prow of a sailing ship) · de Galionsfigur (carved figure on the prow of a sailing ship) · de Bugfigur (carved figure on the prow of a sailing ship) · el αχυράνθρωπος (someone in a nominal position of leadership) · eo prufiguro (someone in a nominal position of leadership) · el ακρόπρωρο (carved figure on the prow of a sailing ship) · uk гальюнна фігу́ра (carved figure on the prow of a sailing ship) · sv galjonsbild (carved figure on the prow of a sailing ship) · mi kōneke (carved figure on the prow of a sailing ship) · nn gallionsfigur (someone in a nominal position of leadership) · pl aflaston (carved figure on the prow of a sailing ship) · mi tētēkura (carved figure on the prow of a sailing ship) · nl boegbeeld (carved figure on the prow of a sailing ship) · ru номинальный глава́ (someone in a nominal position of leadership) · he גְּלִיף חַרְטוֹם (carved figure on the prow of a sailing ship) · fi keulakuva (someone in a nominal position of leadership) · tl roda (carved figure on the prow of a sailing ship) · es mascarón de proa (carved figure on the prow of a sailing ship) · ru гальюнная фигу́ра (carved figure on the prow of a sailing ship) · nn gallionsfigur (carved figure on the prow of a sailing ship) · es hombre de paja (someone in a nominal position of leadership) · fi keulakuva (carved figure on the prow of a sailing ship) · fr homme de paille (someone in a nominal position of leadership) · pl galion (carved figure on the prow of a sailing ship) · ru подставное лицо́ (someone in a nominal position of leadership) · sv galjonsfigur (carved figure on the prow of a sailing ship) · es testaférrea (someone in a nominal position of leadership) · ca mascaró de proa (carved figure on the prow of a sailing ship) · pl figurant (someone in a nominal position of leadership) · sv förgrundsgestalt (someone in a nominal position of leadership) · mi pītau (carved figure on the prow of a sailing ship) · it prestanome (someone in a nominal position of leadership) · ms angkuk (carved figure on the prow of a sailing ship) · pt laranja (someone in a nominal position of leadership) · pt figura de proa (carved figure on the prow of a sailing ship) · es figura decorativa (someone in a nominal position of leadership) · de Grüßaugust (someone in a nominal position of leadership) · it polena (carved figure on the prow of a sailing ship) · mi tētē (carved figure on the prow of a sailing ship) · ga dealbh tosaigh (carved figure on the prow of a sailing ship) · pt testa de ferro (someone in a nominal position of leadership) · nb gallionsfigur (someone in a nominal position of leadership) · uk афласто́н (carved figure on the prow of a sailing ship) · mi pākurukuru (carved figure on the prow of a sailing ship) · nb gallionsfigur (carved figure on the prow of a sailing ship) · ru носовое украше́ние (carved figure on the prow of a sailing ship) · it fantoccio (someone in a nominal position of leadership) · de Galionsfigur (someone in a nominal position of leadership) · fr figure de proue (carved figure on the prow of a sailing ship) · sv målvakt (someone in a nominal position of leadership) · da kransekagefigur (someone in a nominal position of leadership) · fr fantoche (someone in a nominal position of leadership) · sv galjonsfigur (someone in a nominal position of leadership) · it uomo di paglia (someone in a nominal position of leadership) · pl figurantka (someone in a nominal position of leadership) · es cabeza de fierro (someone in a nominal position of leadership)