town meeting

town meeting

noun

Definition of TOWN MEETING

: a meeting of inhabitants or taxpayers constituting the legislative authority of a town

First Known Use of TOWN MEETING

1636

Rhymes with TOWN MEETING

breast-beating, camp meeting, fire-eating, man-eating, prayer meeting, space heating, unweeting

town meeting

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Legislative assembly of a U.S. town in which all or some voters are empowered to conduct the community's affairs. Town meetings first took place in New England in the colonial era and are still largely a New England phenomenon, partly because the region's towns tend to hold powers that are granted to counties elsewhere. The meetings are normally held annually. Executive authority is usually held by a three- or five-member board. Open town meetings, which are widely regarded as an exceptionally pure form of democracy, allow all registered voters to vote on articles listed on the agenda, or warrant; representative town meetings allow only elected members to vote.