Definition of alderman
1 : a person governing a kingdom, district, or shire as viceroy for an Anglo-Saxon king
2a : a magistrate formerly ranking next below the mayor in an English or Irish city or boroughb : 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
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Recent Examples of alderman from the Web
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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.
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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.
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Photos of a similar development by West Star in Overland Park were presented to the aldermen during a work session earlier this month.
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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.
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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.
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Mike Buettner, a local alderman, counts 27 empty storefronts on Main Street in a 14-block stretch.
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When campaigning for his first term, Thompson stumped on his image as a cowboy (his wealthy father owned a ranch), a former star athlete, and a can-do alderman.
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If the council approves the recommendation, Joyce will serve as Seventh Ward alderman until the spring 2019 election.
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
ALDERMAN Defined for English Language Learners
alderman
playDefinition of alderman for English Language Learners
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: a member of a city government in the U.S., Canada, and Australia
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: a senior member of an English town, county, or borough council who is elected by the other members
ALDERMAN Defined for Kids
alderman
playDefinition of alderman for Students
: a member of a lawmaking body in a city
Law Dictionary
alderman
playLegal Definition of alderman
: a member of a city legislative body
Learn More about alderman
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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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