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.
The mayor does not set this policy, but Mamdani has appointed six of the nine members on the city's Rent Guidelines Board, which decides the issue.
From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026
The young mayor was joined at the rally by his close ally, 84-year-old leftist icon Bernie Sanders.
From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026
In a packed concert venue on Sunday, New York City's youngest mayor in over a century took the stage to tout his achievements during his first 100 days in office.
From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026
He previously won the primary for Mexico City mayor, but in the end didn’t take the role.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026
At the formal welcoming ceremony, the mayor delivered his prepared speech as though nothing unusual had happened.
From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman
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.
