mayor

[mey-er, mair]

noun

1. the chief executive official, usually elected, of a city, village, or town.

2. the chief magistrate of a city or borough.

mayor

/ mɛə /

noun

1. Scottish equivalent: provost. the chairman and civic head of a municipal corporation in many countries

Other Word Forms

• mayoral adjective
• mayorship noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of mayor¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; from Medieval Latin major major; replacing Middle English mer, mair, from Old French maire

Word History and Origins

Origin of mayor¹

C13: from Old French maire, from Latin maior greater. See _major

Example Sentences

“If people were being killed and courts were holding us up or governors or mayors were holding us up, sure, I’d do that,” he said.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Curtis Sliwa has six cats, wears a red beret and is running to be the next mayor of New York City.

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Many municipal leaders—mayors and governors—talk about the challenging cost of immigrants to their communities.

Read more on Barron's

The fee hike legislation still has to be signed by the mayor and formally published by the city clerk.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

A newly-elected mayor in western Germany has been stabbed and left critically injured near her home, police say.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• authority 
• bureaucrat 
• chief 
• commander 
• controller 
• custodian 
• dean 
• director 
• executive 
• head 
• inspector 
• judge 
• leader 
• manager 
• minister 
• officer 
• official 
• organizer 
• superintendent 
• supervisor