Figurehead

Noun

 * 1)  A carved figure on the prow of a sailing ship.
 * 2)   Someone in a nominal position of leadership who has no actual power; a front or front man.

Thesaurus
Charlie McCarthy, a nobody, a nothing, adherent, advocate, alter ego, alternate, amicus curiae, armory, attorney, backup, backup man, badge, badge of office, badges, baton, beak, blazonry, bow, bowsprit, brassard, bust, button, cap and gown, carving, chain, chain of office, champion, cipher, class ring, cockade, collar, common man, creature, cross, decoration, deputy, disciple, doll, dolly, dress, dummy, eagle, emblems, ensigns, executive officer, exponent, fantoccini, fasces, figure, figurine, fleur-de-lis, flunky, follower, forecastle, foredeck, forepeak, front, front man, gillie, gingerbread man, goon, hammer and sickle, hanger-on, henchman, heraldry, insignia, insignificancy, jackal, jackstraw, jib boom, lackey, lapel pin, lay figure, lieutenant, lightweight, little fellow, little guy, livery, locum, locum tenens, mace, man, man of straw, manikin, mannequin, mantle, marionette, markings, medal, mediocrity, minion, model, monument, mortarboard, mouthpiece, myrmidon, nebbish, nobody one knows, nominal head, nonentity, nose, obscurity, old school tie, paranymph, pin, pinch hitter, pip-squeak, pleader, portrait bust, procurator, prore, prow, proxy, punk, puppet, regalia, representative, ring, rose, rostrum, runt, satellite, scarecrow, school ring, scrub, sculpture, second in command, secondary, shamrock, shrimp, sigillography, skull and crossbones, small fry, small potato, small potatoes, snowman, sphragistics, squirt, squit, staff, stand-in, statuary, statue, statuette, stem, stooge, straw man, substitute, surrogate, swastika, sycophant, tartan, thistle, thug, tie, understudy, uniform, utility man, verge, vicar, vicar general, vice, vicegerent, votary, wand, wax figure, waxwork, whiffet, whippersnapper, wood carving

Translations

 * Dutch:
 * Finnish:
 * German:


 * Italian:
 * Swedish: galjonbild


 * Finnish:
 * German:


 * Swedish: galjonbild