selectman

noun

se·​lect·​man sə-ˈlek(t)-ˌman How to pronounce selectman (audio)
-ˌlek(t)-ˈman,
-ˈlek(t)-mən;
ˈsē-ˌlek(t)-ˌman
: one of a board of officials elected in towns of all New England states except Rhode Island to serve as the chief administrative authority of the town

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web And, the other night, local selectmen awarded a $1.1 million contract to a Peabody construction company, Campbell Construction Group LLC, which will place staging around the tower, rebuild its core, and reconstruct the lighthouse’s top. Globe Columnist, BostonGlobe.com, 27 Mar. 2023 This ambivalence was highlighted in 2019 — even before the committee’s rightward lurch — when Republicans became apoplectic over a sudden sprouting of campaign signs linking Mr. Trump with Fred Camillo, their candidate for the mayor-like position of first selectman. Dan Barry, New York Times, 6 Nov. 2022 Jayme Stevenson, former first selectman in Darien and Republican candidate for U.S. Congress in Connecticut’s 4th district, expressed skepticism about the approach. Erica E. Phillips, Hartford Courant, 8 July 2022 Simmons served as first selectman in his hometown of Stonington after Congress. Christopher Keating, courant.com, 29 Aug. 2021 Stemming from a lawsuit filed against the town of Southborough, Mass., by a resident who said selectmen had silenced her unlawfully, the decision pushed back against attempts to mandate good manners. Jenna Russell, New York Times, 17 Mar. 2023 Kolenda, who is no longer a selectman, could not immediately be reached for comment Tuesday. John R. Ellement, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Mar. 2023 The section of the town’s website that links to the first selectman’s office was offline Monday afternoon. Taylor Hartz, Hartford Courant, 20 Feb. 2023 Her husband Ian Underwood, a town selectman, proposed slashing the town’s school budget by half. Dan Barry, BostonGlobe.com, 10 July 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'selectman.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1635, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of selectman was in 1635

Dictionary Entries Near selectman

Cite this Entry

“Selectman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/selectman. Accessed 7 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

selectman

noun
se·​lect·​man si-ˈlek(t)-ˌman How to pronounce selectman (audio)
-mən;
-ˌlek(t)-ˈman
: one of a group of town officials elected annually in some of the New England states

Legal Definition

selectman

noun
se·​lect·​man si-ˈlekt-mən, -ˌman How to pronounce selectman (audio)
: one of a board of officials elected in towns of all New England states except Rhode Island to serve as the chief administrative authority of the town
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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