city father

noun

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

city father

noun

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of city father¹

An Americanism dating back to 1835–45

Example Sentences

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

L.A.'s city fathers created an entire playground — Olvera Street — in the 1930s just to re-create what they insisted was a rapidly vanishing culture.

From Los Angeles Times