Dictionary
fig•ure•head
Pronunciation: (fig'yur-hed"), [key]—
n.
1. a person who is head of a group, company, etc., in title but actually has no real authority or responsibility:
Most modern kings and queens are figureheads.
2. Naut.a carved full-length figure or bust built into the bow of a sailing ship.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.