alderman [ awl -der-muh n ] SHOW IPA
/ ˈɔl dər mən / PHONETIC RESPELLING
EXAMPLES | WORD ORIGIN
noun, plural al·der·men. a member of a municipal legislative body, especially of a municipal council.
(in England) one of the members, chosen by the elected councilors, in a borough or county council.
Early English History a chief. (later) the chief magistrate of a county or group of counties. Northern U.S. Slang a pot belly.
Nearby words alder fly , alder flycatcher , alder's anomaly , alder, kurt , alderfly , aldermanry , aldermaston , alderney , alderperson , aldershot Origin of alderman before 900; Middle English; Old English (
e)aldormann, equivalent to
ealdor chief, patriarch (
eald old +
-or noun suffix) +
mann man1 Related forms al·der·man·cy , al·der·man·ship , noun al·der·man·ic [awl-der-man -ik] /ˌɔl dərˈmæn ɪk/ adjective un·der·al·der·man , noun, plural un·der·al·der·men. Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for alderman Antonio French, a citizen journalist and alderman of the 21st ward in St. Louis, was also detained.
A New York alderman once said Petrosino “knocked out more teeth than a dentist.”
Dirk Johnson on the real winners—including an alderman rooting for a weak mayor.
Nobody, that is, except the lawyer who brought the case, Burt Odelson—and, according to whispers at City Hall, Alderman Burke.
Rick Munoz, alderman of the 22nd Ward and an active Latino Caucus member, has called Emanuel a "political bully."
Alderman Fowler accused of having sinned in a similar way against Howell.
Truly, if it be not for trade, there is little in common between the mariners of the brigantine and Alderman Van Beverout.
He was a very Alderman in embryo, if there are such things as coloured Aldermen.
It is said that he lived here in great splendour, as befits a rich merchant who is also an Alderman .
But, if you can make Alderman Fondlewife of your persuasion, this letter will be needless.
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British Dictionary definitions for alderman noun plural -men (in England and Wales until 1974) one of the senior members of a local council, elected by other councillors
(in the US, Canada, Australia, etc) a member of the governing body of a municipality
Abbreviations (for senses 1, 2): Ald , Aldm
Derived Forms aldermanic (ˌɔːldəˈmænɪk ), adjective aldermanry , noun aldermanship , noun Word Origin for alderman Old English aldormann, from ealdor chief (comparative of eald old ) + mann man
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for alderman n. Old English aldormonn (Mercian), ealdormann (West Saxon) "ruler, prince, chief; chief officer of a shire," from aldor, ealder "patriarch" (comparative of ald "old;" see old ) + monn, mann "man" (see man (n.)). A relic of the days when the elders were automatically in charge of the clan or tribe, but already in Old English used for king's viceroys, regardless of age. The word yielded in Old English to eorl , and after the Norman Conquest to count (n.). Meaning "headman of a guild" (early 12c.) passed to "magistrate of a city" (c.1200) as the guilds became identified with municipal government.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Culture definitions for alderman A member of a city council. Aldermen usually represent city districts, called wards, and work with the mayor to run the city government. Jockeying among aldermen for political influence is often associated with machine politics .
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
