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An honorary title or title of honor 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 any duties, possibly except for ceremonial ones.

Some examples of honorary titles from various areas are:

• Kentucky colonel
• Knight of an honorific order
• Hero of the Russian Federation
• People's Artist
• Queen's Scout
• Academician
• Patriarch of Venice
• An academic honorary degree or position, such as honorary Professor.

Man of the Year is not an honorary title.

Some historical honorary titles may be bought, just like certain nobility titles. This has long been a matter of fraud, both outright and indirect.

Some honorary titles serve as positions of sinecure and honorary retirement.

[edit] See also

• Hereditary titles
• Honorary titles in Russia
• False titles of nobility
• Honorific
• Style (manner of address)
• Royal and noble styles

[edit] External links

• Fake titles

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