Emeritus

Emeritus is an adjective that is used to designate a retired chair, professor, pastor, bishop, pope, director, president, prime minister, rabbi, emperor, or other person who has been "permitted to retain as an honorary title the rank of the last office held." Examples of people who fit this description include former pastors, bishops, popes, directors, presidents, and prime ministers.

In certain instances, the title is bestowed onto all individuals who retire at a particular rank as a matter of course, whilst in other circumstances, it continues to be a recognition of exceptional service and is only bestowed on chosen retirees. It is also used when a person of distinction in a profession quits or turns up the job, which enables their prior status to be kept in their title, for example, "professor emeritus." The title of emeritus does not necessarily imply that a person has discharged all of the responsibilities associated with their previous post; in fact, the individual may continue to be responsible for part of those responsibilities.

Except in obituaries, where it may reflect their status at the time of death, the word emeritus is replaced in the description of dead professors emeriti listed at institutions in the United States by an indication of the years during which they were appointed as professors.