alderman

noun al·der·man \ ˈȯl-dər-mən \

Definition of alderman

1 :a person governing a kingdom, district, or shire as viceroy for an Anglo-Saxon king

2 a :a magistrate formerly ranking next below the mayor in an English or Irish city or borough

b :a high-ranking member of a borough or county council in Ireland or formerly in England chosen by elected members

3 :a member of a city legislative body

—

aldermanic

play \ˌȯl-dər-ˈma-nik\ adjective

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Recent Examples of alderman from the Web

After months of delay, aldermen and community members have been clamoring for drafts to be made public, fearing the final report will never be released.

— gina barton, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "9 key takeaways from the DOJ draft report on the Milwaukee Police Department," 30 Aug. 2017
Also scheduled to attend the campaign event at a West Town park are five Chicago aldermen: Walter Burnett Jr., 27th; Michael Scott Jr., 24th; Chris Taliaferro, 29th; Pat Dowell, 3rd; and Michelle Harris, 8th.

— chicago tribune staff, chicagotribune.com, "Morning Spin: Jesse White to endorse Pritzker for Democratic governor today," 23 Aug. 2017
The Milwaukee Common Council would have the power to fire the city's police chief under a proposal that has the support of a politically diverse group of aldermen.

— ashley luthern, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Milwaukee aldermen would have power to fire police chief under proposal," 11 July 2017
One alderman's proposal to overhaul the city's recommendations for avoiding lead exposure in drinking water is receiving a tepid response from the Milwaukee Health Department and some local medical experts.

— mary spicuzza, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Milwaukee lead proposal draws concern from doctors, Health Department," 2 July 2017
Photos of a similar development by West Star in Overland Park were presented to the aldermen during a work session earlier this month.

— kaitlyn schwers, kansascity.com, "Climate-controlled storage, retail spaces coming to Market Place," 28 June 2017
One of the alderman sponsoring the proposal made a tidy profit selling land for such a development before joining the city council, according to news reports.

— aamer madhani, USA TODAY, "As cities look to get greener, lower-income residents fear gentrification," 25 June 2017
Gov. Nathan Deal has appointed former Hapeville City Councilman Mike Rast to fill the alderman-at-large seat that became vacant after the conviction of councilwoman Ruth Barr.

— leslie johnson, ajc, "Governor appoints Mike Rast to fill Hapeville’s vacant council seat," 20 June 2017
Mike Buettner, a local alderman, counts 27 empty storefronts on Main Street in a 14-block stretch.

— peter holley, Washington Post, "A small-town American left Belleville, Ill., and turned his weapons on Washington," 18 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'alderman.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of alderman

Middle English, from Old English ealdorman, from ealdor parent (from eald old) + man — more at old

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First Known Use: before 12th century

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ALDERMAN Defined for English Language Learners

alderman

noun

Definition of alderman for English Language Learners

: a member of a city government in the U.S., Canada, and Australia
: a senior member of an English town, county, or borough council who is elected by the other members

ALDERMAN Defined for Kids

alderman

noun al·der·man \ ˈȯl-dər-mən \

Definition of alderman for Students

:a member of a lawmaking body in a city

Law Dictionary

alderman

noun al·der·man \ ˈȯl-dər-mən \

legal Definition of alderman

:a member of a city legislative body

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Spanish Central: Translation of alderman Nglish: Translation of alderman for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of alderman for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about alderman

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