mayor

Etymology

Circa 1300; from Middle English maire, from Old French maire (“head of a city or town government”) (13th century), from Latin maior (“bigger, greater, superior”), comparative of magnus (“big, great”). Doublet of major.

noun

1. The chief executive of the municipal government of a city, borough, etc., formerly (historical) usually appointed as a caretaker by European royal courts but now usually appointed or elected locally.
   The office of mayor has been the tomb of many political ambitions. 1907 Sept. 12, The Nation, page 222
   When the burdens of the Presidency seem unusually heavy, I always remind myself that it could be worse—I could be a mayor of a city instead. 1966 Mar. 31, Lyndon B. Johnson, Remarks before the National Legislative Conference of the National League of Cities
   While Buckley would later privately describe Chicago's Mayor Daley as a Fascist, he was not willing to let Vidal use the police to vindicate the demonstrators, who, in Buckley's mind, had provoked much of the violence. 1988, John B. Judis, William F. Buckley Jr.: Patron Saint of the Conservatives, page p. 291
   Quimby: I propose that I use what's left of the town treasury to move to a more prosperous town and run for mayor and once selected I will send for the rest of you. 1993 Dec. 16, Bill Oakley et al., “"$pringfield"”, in The Simpsons, season 5, episode 10
   Carver: What the hell d'you say to him? Hauk: I said "Mr Mayor that's a good strong dick you've got there and I see you know how to use it." I didn't say shit! 2006, Ed Burns et al., “"Soft Eyes"”, in The Wire, season 4, episode 2
2. (historical) Short for mayor of the palace, the royal stewards of the Frankish Empire.
3. (historical) Synonym of mair, various former officials in the Kingdom of Scotland.
4. (Ireland, rare, obsolete) A member of a city council.
5. (historical, obsolete) A high justice, an important judge.
6. (chiefly US) A largely ceremonial position in some municipal governments that presides over the city council while a contracted city manager holds actual executive power.
7. (figurative, humorous) A local VIP, a muckamuck or big shot reckoned to lead some local group.
   In some parts the burlesque civic official was designated ‘Mayor of the Pig Market’. 1902 May 22, Westminster Gazette, p. 2
   The Mayor of Castro Street, that was Harvey's unofficial title. 1982, Randy Shilts, The Mayor of Castro Street