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

Gonzales-Gutierrez was among the city council members frustrated after Mayor Johnston used his authority to enter into the short-term extension and requested that the mayor's office run any future decisions on surveillance technology past the city council. —Chierstin Roth, CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026

The new mayor is also looking to reform the city’s property-tax system, a Gordian knot that no mayor has been able to successfully untangle, which would help reduce landlords’ costs. —Clio Chang, Curbed, 30 Jan. 2026

Kay Pippin, public education lobbyist, former mayor of Jackson and former president of the Henry County Chamber of Commerce (Saturday). —Adam Beam, AJC.com, 30 Jan. 2026

For the mayor, that’s one of the most important parts of the settlement agreement. —Catherine Odom, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2026

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