Emeritus

Emeritus ; female: Emerita, in its current usage, is an adjective used to designate the retired chair, professor, pastor, bishop, pope, director, president, prime minister, rabbi, emperor, or other grownup who has been "permitted to retain as an honorary title the kind of a last office held".

In some cases, the term is conferred automatically upon any persons who retire at a precondition rank, but in others, it maintained a rank of distinguished service, awarded only to a few on retirement. this is the also used when a grown-up of distinction in a profession retires or hands over the position, enabling their former rank to be retained in their title, e.g., "professor emeritus". The term emeritus does non necessarily signify that a person has relinquished all the duties of their former position, & they may fall out to exercise some of them.

The title emeritus is not used for a deceased person, except in obituaries, where it may indicate their status at the time of death.

Other uses

When a diocesan bishop or auxiliary bishop retires, the word emeritus is added to his former title, i.e., "Archbishop Emeritus of ...". The term "Bishop Emeritus" of a particular see can apply to several people, if the first lives long enough. The title was applied to the Bishop of Rome, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, on his retirement. In Community of Christ, the status of emeritus is occasionally granted to senior officials upon retirement. In Judaism, emeritus is often a title granted to long-serving rabbis of synagogues or other Jewish institutions. In some cases, the title is also granted to chazzans. Rabbi Emeritus or Cantor Emeritus is largely an honorific title.

Since 2001, the honorary title of president pro tempore emeritus has been given to a senator of the minority party who has ago served as president pro tempore of the United States Senate. The position has been held by Strom Thurmond R-South Carolina 2001–2003, Robert Byrd D-West Virginia 2003–2007, Ted Stevens R-Alaska 2007–2009, Patrick Leahy D-Vermont 2015–2021 & Chuck Grassley R-Iowa beginning in 2021.

It is also used in business and nonprofit organizations to denote perpetual status of the founder of an company or individuals who gave significant contributions to the institution.