honorary master

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "honorary master" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to someone who has been awarded a master's degree as an honor, without having completed the usual requirements. Example: "The university awarded him an honorary master for his contributions to the field of education."

✓ Grammatically correct

Academia

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

He has an honorary Master in Architecture from the GSD.

Harvard University

He was awarded an honorary master of arts degree from the University of Cambridge.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The treatise so pleased James I that he had Oxford confer an honorary master of arts degree on Donne.

Encyclopedia Britannica

He also holds a master's degree in philosophy from Brown University and an honorary master of arts from Harvard University.

Harvard University

For one thing, the eleventh Duke of Beaufort and honorary Master of the Hunt is missing, either home with the flu or shooting pheasant, or, perhaps, hiding from hunt protesters and saboteurs.

The New Yorker

It is fitting that the honorary master of ceremonies at this film-geek orgy is Quentin Tarantino, dean of the international film-geek fraternity, who elegantly disembowels a snake in the opening scene and who appears later to fill in some plot holes and speak in bizarrely accented English.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

He received a Guggenheim grant, a Rockefeller grant, a Fulbright Fellowship in Paris and an honorary masters degree from Brown University.

The New York Times - Arts

The universities of Oxford, Southampton, Nottingham and Surrey, and the Open University, awarded the Opies honorary masters' degrees and doctorates; and they won international literary medals.

The Guardian - Books

In August 1605, he attended the King at Oxford, and received an honorary master-of-arts degree in an elaborate ceremony at which the Duke of Lennox (Ludovic Stewart), the earls of Oxford and Northumberland, and Cecilius received degrees.

Wikipedia

That's like giving these two an honorary Masters degree from the University of Violent Extremists.

Huffington Post

Several members of the family served as trustees or received degrees from the college, including the following: Littleton's father, Andrew Kirkpatrick (1756 1831), a 1775 graduate of Princeton, taught at the Queen's College Grammar School in 1782, received an honorary Masters (A.M).

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "honorary master", ensure that the context clearly indicates that the title was awarded as an honor, rather than earned through traditional academic study.

Common error

Avoid implying that an "honorary master" represents the same level of knowledge or skill as a master's degree obtained through coursework and examination. An honorary degree is a recognition of achievement, not a qualification.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "honorary master" functions as a noun phrase, where "honorary" modifies the noun "master". It describes a specific type of master's degree awarded as an honor. Ludwig confirms its correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Academia

30%

News & Media

50%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "honorary master" is a grammatically sound and usable expression to describe a master's-level recognition awarded as an honor, rather than earned through academic coursework. As Ludwig AI indicates, the phrase is correct and suitable for use. Although less frequent than related terms like "honorary degree", it appears in reputable sources such as The New York Times and academic websites. The primary contexts are academia, news, and general reference, with a neutral register. It's essential to use the phrase accurately, ensuring the context clearly indicates the honorary nature of the title and avoiding any implication that it is equivalent to a traditional master's degree.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

honorary degree

Focuses specifically on academic recognition rather than a general title.

honorary doctorate

Refers to a doctorate awarded as an honor.

honorary fellow

Describes an honorary position within an institution.

honorary title

A more general term for any title given as an honor.

honorary member

Indicates membership granted as an honor.

honorary citizenship

Citizenship granted as an honor.

honorary professorship

A professorship awarded as an honor.

degree honoris causa

Latin term for an honorary degree.

advisory master

Someone giving expertise in a determined topic as a Master. Changes the intention to expertise.

emeritus master

Emeritus describes a position after retirement. Changes intention.

FAQs

What does "honorary master" mean?

An "honorary master" is a degree or title awarded to someone as an honor, typically in recognition of their achievements or contributions to a particular field, without the usual requirements of academic study or examination.

How is an "honorary master" different from a regular master's degree?

A regular master's degree is earned through completing a specific course of study, conducting research, and passing examinations. An "honorary master" is bestowed as an honor and does not require these steps.

When is it appropriate to use the term "honorary master"?

Use "honorary master" when you want to acknowledge someone's achievements and the recognition they have received from an institution, making it clear that the degree was awarded as an honor. Alternatives include "honorary degree" or "honorary title".

What are some alternative ways to describe someone who has received an "honorary master"?

Instead of "honorary master", you could say the person was "awarded an "honorary degree"", "recognized with an "honorary title"", or "received an "honorary master" in recognition of their contributions".