mayor

noun

may·​or ˈmā-ər How to pronounce mayor (audio) ˈmer How to pronounce mayor (audio)
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 How to pronounce mayor (audio)
ˈmer-əl;
  ˌmā-ˈȯr-əl How to pronounce mayor (audio)
adjective

Examples of mayor in a Sentence

the mayor of New York
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The mayor was expected to make more stops in the coming days. — Gloria Pazmino, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026 Hernandez, who served as Dublin’s mayor between 2020 and 2024, did not return multiple requests for comment on this story Thursday. — Kyle Martin, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2026 Smith, the Republican mayor of Tifton, said Ossoff has consistently delivered for the region. — Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2026 In the months before the action of the show, Eun-sae had been investigating a case of bribery and murder involving crime boss and company chairman Baek Sang-gil (Heo Sung-tae) and the Seoul mayor. — Kayti Burt, Time, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mayor

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of mayor was in the 14th century

Rhymes for mayor

See All Rhymes for mayor

Browse Nearby Words

mayonnaise
mayor
mayoral
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Cite this Entry

“Mayor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mayor. Accessed 12 Aug. 2026.

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Legal Definition

mayor

noun
may·​or ˈmā-ər, ˈmer How to pronounce mayor (audio)
: an official elected or appointed to act as chief executive or nominal head of a city, town, or borough

More from Merriam-Webster on mayor

Nglish: Translation of mayor for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about mayor

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