city father

American  

noun

1. any of the officials or prominent citizens of a city.

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city father British  

noun

1. a person who is active or prominent in the public affairs of a city, such as an alderman

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Etymology

Origin of city father

An Americanism dating back to 1835–45

Example Sentences

But not from Orange, whose city fathers have long cast it as a slice of small-town Americana free from big-city problems or national issues.

From Los Angeles Times

And it behooves city fathers and mothers to take this sentiment seriously, if they wish to keep mothering and fathering.

From Los Angeles Times

The only reason the campus designers even addressed the southern tip of Puget Sound was because city fathers in Olympia asked them to do so.

From Seattle Times

Dutch cities, including the capital, Amsterdam, and port city Rotterdam already have issued apologies for the historic role of city fathers in the slave trade.

From Seattle Times

Los Angeles’ city fathers, so adept at ballyhoo, just hated it that the highfalutin’ town up the Arroyo Seco had thought up their big flowery promotional parade first.

From Los Angeles Times