mayor

noun

may·​or ˈmā-ər  ˈmer 

especially before names (ˌ)mer

: an official elected or appointed to act as chief executive or nominal head of a city, town, or borough

mayoral

ˈmā-ə-rəl 

ˈmer-əl;

  ˌmā-ˈȯr-əl 

adjective

Examples of mayor in a Sentence

the mayor of New York

Recent Examples on the Web

The mayor asked residents who live near the campus, as well as business owners, to check their doorbell cameras and other surveillance video for any footage of the suspect. —Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 15 Dec. 2025

Last year he was indicted by a Haiti investigative judge along with the mayor of Mirebalais, Lochard Laguere, in the death of Joseph. —Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 15 Dec. 2025

Stefano Pisani became mayor of Pollica, a small community in the region of Cilento, in southern Italy, under the worst possible circumstances. —Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 15 Dec. 2025

The town’s mayor, Marilyn Parker, told CNN that some of her residents are worried about the group’s presence. —Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 15 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English maire, from Anglo-French, from Latin major greater — more at major

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for mayor

• gayer
• grayer
• greyer
• layer
• nayar
• payer
• payor
• peyer
• player
• preyer
• sayer
• slayer

Kids Definition

mayor

noun

may·​or ˈmā-ər  ˈme(-)ər 

: an official elected to act as head of a city or borough

mayoral

ˈmā-ə-rəl  ˈme- ə- 

adjective

Legal Definition

mayor

noun

may·​or ˈmā-ər, ˈmer 

: an official elected or appointed to act as chief executive or nominal head of a city, town, or borough