figurehead—
1. a carving, usually a bust or a full-length figure, decorating the prow of a ship:
- The adornment of ships with figureheads could be traced back to Phoenician times.
2. a person who holds an important office yet has little actual power:
- The constitution allots so much power to the board of governors that the president is often regarded as merely a figurehead.
head figure—a leading person who guides and directs:
- It was not long before Coke, who was now the head figure in Parliament, vigorously began an inquiry.