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governor general

American  
Or governor-general

noun

governors general, plural governor generals plural
  1. a governor who is chief over subordinate or deputy governors.

  2. governor.


governor general British  

noun

  1. the representative of the Crown in a dominion of the Commonwealth or a British colony; vicegerent

  2. a governor with jurisdiction or precedence over other governors

"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

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Derived Forms

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Nouns

Etymology

Origin of governor general

First recorded in 1580–90

Example Sentences

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See Examples For:

Cicero’s rhetoric would be echoed centuries later by Edmund Burke, who invoked Verres in his denunciation of Warren Hastings, the British governor general of India who was impeached for corruption in 1787.

From The Wall Street Journal Oct. 24, 2025

The King and Queen later partook in a tree planting ceremony at Rideau Hall, the official residence of Canada's governor general.

From BBC May 26, 2025

Next, David Johnston, the former governor general, looked at the body of evidence that produced the leak.

From New York Times Jun. 1, 2024

The governor general at the time awarded the Order of Canada, a top civilian honor that recognizes outstanding achievement and service to the nation, to Peter Savaryn, who was praised for promoting multiculturalism in Canada.

From Reuters Oct. 4, 2023

In a proclamation, the British governor general of Virginia, John Murray, Earl of Dunmore, announced that slaves or indentured servants who left their owners to fight with the British would be freed.

From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis

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