mayor
Americannoun
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the chief executive official, usually elected, of a city, village, or town.
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the chief magistrate of a city or borough.
noun
Other Word Forms
- mayoral adjective
- mayorship noun
Etymology
Origin of mayor
First recorded in 1250–1300; from Medieval Latin major major; replacing Middle English mer, mair, from Old French maire
Explanation
The mayor is the leader of a city. He or she heads the city government. Just as a president leads a country, a mayor leads a city. Like other politicians, mayors must run for office and win an election. The word mayor comes from the Old French maire for "head of a city or town government" but most mayors probably like the original meaning, which is "greater, superior." Alas, mayors do run cities but calling them all superior is a stretch! In the United States, the president leads the country, a governor leads a state, and a mayor leads a city. If it’s used as a title for a particular mayor, as in Mayor Smith, it’s capitalized.
Vocabulary lists containing mayor
Citizenship (Civics) - Middle School
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Citizenship (Civics) - Introductory
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American Government and Civics, List 2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Appearances alongside a former president can serve as both validation and visibility, particularly for a mayor navigating the early stages of a closely watched tenure.
From Salon • Apr. 19, 2026
Antonio Villaraigosa, the former mayor of Los Angeles, called him a “flash in the pan” — someone who lacked substance.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026
When Nick Serrano joined the water authority board in 2021, the deputy chief of staff to San Diego’s mayor saw potential revenue in the unused water.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026
The homes of Lancaster’s vice mayor and a council member — along with two other locations, including City Hall and a home in Bel-Air — were served with FBI search warrants Wednesday morning.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026
Phelps had earlier suggested the idea to McKissick, and the black leader had said that certainly they’d listen to the mayor, but he doubted that Grabarek would take him up on the offer.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
