governor

noun gov·er·nor \ ˈgə-vᵊn-ər also ˈgə-vər-nər \

Definition of governor

1 :one that governs: such as

a :one that exercises authority especially over an area or group

b :an official elected or appointed to act as ruler, chief executive, or nominal head of a political unit

c :commanding officer

d :the managing director and usually the principal officer of an institution or organization

e :a member of a group that directs or controls an institution or society

2 :tutor

3 a slang :one looked upon as governing

b :mister, sir —usually used as a term of address

4 a :an attachment to a machine (such as a gasoline engine) for automatic control or limitation of speed

b :a device giving automatic control (as of pressure or temperature)

—

governorate

play \ˈgə-vᵊn-ər-ət, -ˌāt also ˈgə-vər-nər-\ noun

See governor defined for English-language learners

See governor defined for kids

Examples of governor in a Sentence

the governor of the state of Florida
He was the chairman of the board of governors at the school.
the governor of the Bank of England
Wait here while I get the governor.

Recent Examples of governor from the Web

Last week: Black leaders urge Matt Bevin to remove Jefferson Davis statue from Kentucky Capitol Several calls and emails seeking comment from the governor's office Wednesday morning were not returned.

— thomas novelly, The Courier-Journal, "Black leaders slam Gov. Bevin for inconsistency on Jefferson Davis statue," 30 Aug. 2017
Byrne, 62, ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2010.

— john sharp, AL.com, "Bradley Byrne seeking a third term to Congress, not running for governor," 30 Aug. 2017
Dukakis, who as Massachusetts governor had endorsed the furlough program, lost the election, relegating violent offenders to the fringes of public debate for the next three decades.

— maura ewing, The Atlantic, "Why So Few Violent Offenders Are Let Out on Parole," 29 Aug. 2017
When a new governor promised vigorous enforcement of the law twenty years later, the Indians reacted cautiously.

— Longreads, "America’s First Addiction Epidemic," 29 Aug. 2017
Like Thomas, Vorhees, who is also vice-chair and incoming chair of the board of governors, believes the organization must educate patrons and the general public about its financial reality.

— kathy routliffe, chicagotribune.com, "New leader takes the helm at Winnetka Community House," 28 Aug. 2017
Then Sempra’s unregulated side negotiated lucrative, long-term power supply deals with California’s governor that sharply reduced its risk of building generators and trading energy.

— dan mcswain, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Sempra reveals Texas-sized appetite for risk," 27 Aug. 2017
If approved by the delegation, IASB would lobby to get the measures passed through the Legislature and signed by the governor.

— suzanne baker, Naperville Sun, "Local districts shoring up message as they push for legislation," 24 Aug. 2017
The death toll for the day climbed to three when a helicopter that had been monitoring the event and assisting with the governor's motorcade crashed, killing two state troopers.

— Bloomberg.com, "White Nationalist Says He’ll Turn Himself In," 23 Aug. 2017

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

First Known Use of governor

14th century

GOVERNOR Defined for English Language Learners

governor

noun

Definition of governor for English Language Learners

: a person who is the leader of the government of a state, province, etc.
: a person who is part of a group of people who control a large organization, school, etc.
: a person who is in charge of a school, prison, or other large organization or institution

GOVERNOR Defined for Kids

governor

noun gov·er·nor \ ˈgə-vər-nər , ˈgə-və-nər \

Definition of governor for Students

:a person who governs and especially the elected head of a state of the United States

Law Dictionary

governor

noun gov·er·nor \ ˈgə-vər-nər \

legal Definition of governor

:one that governs: as

a :one that exercises authority especially over an area or group

b :an official elected or appointed to act as ruler, chief executive, or nominal head of a political unit; specifically :the chief executive of a U.S. state

c :the managing director and usually the principal officer of an institution or organization

d :a member of a group that controls or directs an institution