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.
On Monday, the mayor appeared alongside Police Chief Jim McDonnell, offering new details on increased patrols.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 20, 2026
But the mayor wants a gleaming 9,000 square-foot example of what he called the “warmth of collectivism” in his inaugural address.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026
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
I tried to recruit Phillips to run for mayor, but the native of Germany wasn’t interested.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 18, 2026
New York City’s mayor Edward I. Koch wrote him a letter trying to convince him to come back to the chessboard.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
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.
