town meeting

noun

Updated on: 7 Apr 2018

Definition of town meeting

: a meeting of inhabitants or taxpayers constituting the legislative authority of a town

See town meeting defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of town meeting from the Web

Preston is governed by a board of selectman, which sets the town's policy agenda, and a town meeting, which acts as a legislative body.

— ryan w. miller, USA TODAY, "Help wanted: Teachers. Police. Even mayors: Jobs crucial to society plagued by discontent," 22 Mar. 2018
By citing it, Postal Service officials implied that Dingell’s appearance at the town meeting was a political event.

— bill laitner, Detroit Free Press, "USPS mail service in Ypsilanti blasted by hundreds at town meeting," 22 Feb. 2018
The group, joined by their advisers who traveled with them, gave a brief presentation about their trip to the board of town commissioners during Tuesday night’s town meeting.

— allan vought, The Aegis, "Harford Community College nurses, Bel Air officials laud recent Estonia journey," 19 Jan. 2018
But Secretary of State William Gardner and Attorney General Gordon MacDonald said under state law, town meeting elections must go on.

— CBS News, "Three-peat: Another major winter storm begins battering Northeast," 13 Mar. 2018
The ordinance was scheduled to go before town meeting for a final vote, but a snowstorm postponed the meeting, which was rescheduled for March 27.

— janice steinhagen, Courant Community, "State Announces Purchase Agreement For Gun Range Site," 21 Mar. 2018
In New Hampshire, where as much as 14 inches of snow is forecast, the storm is wreaking havoc with the age-old town meeting tradition.

— CBS News, "Three-peat: Another major winter storm begins battering Northeast," 13 Mar. 2018
In New Hampshire, as much as 14 inches of snow is forecast, and the storm is wreaking havoc with the age-old town meeting tradition.

— alanna durkin richer, chicagotribune.com, "Nor'easter could dump up to 2 feet of snow on winter-weary Northeast," 13 Mar. 2018
The selectmen will likely set the special town meeting date at the March 13 regular meeting.

— janice steinhagen, Courant Community, "Proposed Ordinances Tackle Tax Incentives, Gun Range," 7 Mar. 2018

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