mayor

noun

may·​or ˈmā-ər How to pronounce mayor (audio) ˈmer How to pronounce mayor (audio)
 especially before names  (ˌ)mer
: an official elected or appointed to act as chief executive or nominal head of a city, town, or borough
mayoral adjective

Examples of mayor in a Sentence

the mayor of New York
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Trump suggested the Justice Department might have targeted Adams because of the mayor's resistance to Biden over migration at the southern border. Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 16 Dec. 2024 The board had to vacate its determination, however, after a lobbyist objected and the mayor’s Law Department hired an outside firm to review the matter. Gregory Royal Pratt, Chicago Tribune, 15 Dec. 2024 The mayor’s program to combat homelessness went to a stretch of Franklin Avenue at Cahuenga Boulevard, an area that was the subject of the city’s first Inside Safe operation. Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 14 Dec. 2024 The film delves into Santa's origin story, depicting him as an orphan raised by a family of elves who eventually makes a living out of distributing toys — to the chagrin of the disgruntled mayor Burgermeister Meisterburger. Andrew Walsh, EW.com, 12 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for mayor 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English maire, from Anglo-French, from Latin major greater — more at major

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

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

Dictionary Entries Near mayor

Cite this Entry

“Mayor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mayor. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

mayor

noun
: an official elected to act as head of a city or borough
mayoral adjective

Legal Definition

mayor

noun
may·​or ˈmā-ər, ˈmer How to pronounce mayor (audio)
: an official elected or appointed to act as chief executive or nominal head of a city, town, or borough

More from Merriam-Webster on mayor

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!