governor

noun

gov·​er·​nor ˈgə-vᵊn-ər How to pronounce governor (audio)
 also  ˈgə-vər-nər
1
: one that governs: such as
a
: one that exercises authority especially over an area or group
b
: an official elected or appointed to act as ruler, chief executive, or nominal head of a political unit
d
: the managing director and usually the principal officer of an institution or organization
e
: a member of a group that directs or controls an institution or society
2
: tutor
3
a
slang : one looked upon as governing
b
: mister, sir
usually used as a term of address
4
a
: an attachment to a machine (such as a gasoline engine) for automatic control or limitation of speed
b
: a device giving automatic control (as of pressure or temperature)
governorate
ˈgə-vᵊn-ər-ət How to pronounce governor (audio)
-ˌāt
 also  ˈgə-vər-nər-
noun

Examples of governor in a Sentence

the governor of the state of Florida He was the chairman of the board of governors at the school. the governor of the Bank of England Wait here while I get the governor.
Recent Examples on the Web The Republican governor held the bill signing event at the heart of Nashville’s Lower Broadway inside a packed Robert’s Western World. Kimberlee Kruesi, Fortune, 22 Mar. 2024 Moscow regional governor Alexei Vorobyov said that at least 20 people had been hospitalized and that five were in critical condition. Mary Ilyushina, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2024 In January, a group of 60 officers and other staff at the Missouri Department of Corrections sent a letter to Governor Mike Parson, on Dorsey's behalf, asking the governor to grant him clemency, CBS affiliate KRCG reported. CBS News, 21 Mar. 2024 Since then, election deniers have become household names in the state, like former TV star Kari Lake, who failed to win the governor’s race in 2022 but continues to claim the election was stolen. David Gilbert, WIRED, 19 Mar. 2024 For a time, the Little White Schoolhouse was a private residence, and was the home of newspaper publisher, author and politician George W. Peck, who had been elected mayor of Milwaukee and governor of Wisconsin in the 1890s. Chris Foran, Journal Sentinel, 18 Mar. 2024 Meanwhile, southern Illinois’s 12th District also has an exciting race as Republican Rep. Mike Bost faces off against former state Sen. Darren Bailey, the Republican nominee for governor in 2022. Nathaniel Rakich, ABC News, 18 Mar. 2024 The plan was to send 60 state troopers to reinforce communities throughout South Florida, with a high concentration in Miami Beach, according to the governor. Chris Eberhart, Fox News, 18 Mar. 2024 The governor also said two people died during attacks the previous day. Emma Burrows and Dasha Litvinova, The Christian Science Monitor, 17 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'governor.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of governor was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near governor

Cite this Entry

“Governor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/governor. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

governor

noun
gov·​er·​nor ˈgəv(-ə)-nər How to pronounce governor (audio)
 also  ˈgəv-ər-nər
1
: one that governs
especially : an official elected or appointed to act as ruler, chief executive, or head of a political unit (as a colony, state, or province)
2
: an attachment to a machine for automatic control of speed
governorship
-ˌship
noun

Legal Definition

governor

noun
gov·​er·​nor ˈgə-vər-nər How to pronounce governor (audio)
: one that governs: as
a
: one that exercises authority especially over an area or group
b
: an official elected or appointed to act as ruler, chief executive, or nominal head of a political unit
specifically : the chief executive of a U.S. state
c
: the managing director and usually the principal officer of an institution or organization
d
: a member of a group that controls or directs an institution
the Federal Reserve System's Board of Governors
governorship noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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