emeritus

adj

1. (not-comparable, often, postpositional)Retired, but retaining an honorific version of a previous title.

   “emeritus professor    professor emeritus    professors emeritae”

   “pontiff emeritus”

   “I must confess that in such an answer I see nothing worthy of a philosopher; and should rather have looked for it from a literary petit-maître than from an emeritus Professor of Moral Philosophy.”

   “Number and Description of Professorships. 1. An emeritus professorship of obstetrics.”

   “Paul is not a whit behind any of the apostles, or “Pastor Emerituses,” and is ready to meet all things on all occasions.”

noun

1. A (male) person who is retired from active service or an occupation, especially one who retains an honorific version of a previous title.

   “Martin Engels said: “I am not posted on dyke-bridges, but if it is a Dutch scheme there may be something in it. That engineer made a mistake by calling the city officials emerituses. He should not call people names if he wants the Municipal Council to build his twenty-four-million-dollar bridge. If the Tammany organization wants to build a dyke-bridge, I’m for it.””

   “Now, we have no criticism for college presidents and emerituses as such. A man may be all that and still be a pretty good fellow—whatever the effect might be on his character and happiness. But there is one thing certain—no one man can know it all.”

   “A “State-of-Mind” called Winter Park, / Where genius thrives, a brilliant spark, / Emerituses tramp thru dark / To hear illustrious profs remark / On “culchar,” tone and style. / So, hark, / While dogs, in tongues semantic, bark!”

   “Oh you, veteran crime reporter, you grave old usher, you once popular policeman, now in solitary confinement after gracing that school crossing for years, you wretched emeritus read to by a boy!”

   “And so, another well-deserving name has been added to Central Florida’s list of emerituses, perhaps the most distinguished lineup of names in the area.”

2. (rare)An honorific version of a previous title.

   “With a string of “emerituses” behind his name, last of which was acquired with the Welfare society resignation, [George Q.] Sheppard now lives in retirement in his home at The Hill, 722 King street.”

   “Marshall Keeble, president emeritus of Nashville Christian Institute, and A. M. Burton, president emeritus of Life & Casualty Insurance, have more in common than their age (85), their frequent meetings or their emerituses.”

   “NOW THE holder of numerous emerituses and honorary titles in recognition of her long service, Mrs. [Chalmers W.] Hutchison [a.k.a. Bessie Hutchison] still has not retired from her lively interest in all things that are “moving” nor from watching the contemporary scene.”

   “He was also a visiting professor of chemical engineering, and received an Emeritus in 1967.”