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.
Rather than being a drain on resources, Smith, the mayor, sees interest from the AI industry as one way to get the water flowing. — Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2026 The mayor also said there was a strike next to an underground station and pictures posted on unofficial Telegram channels showed damage at a station and to a tram. — Reuters, NBC news, 26 Oct. 2026 The local chapter had already closed its endorsement process, and ultimately decided not to endorse a candidate for mayor. — Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 26 Oct. 2026 Now, Gonska said, the focus has narrowed to Raman, the mayor’s lone opponent. — David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 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

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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 27 Oct. 2026.

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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

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about mayor

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