ˈmā(ə)r, ˈme(ə)r, ˈmāə, ˈmeə noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English maire, from Old French, from Latin major larger, greater — more at major
: the chief magistrate of a city or borough : the chief executive officer of a municipal corporation in the United States being elected by direct popular vote and serving from one to six years, having powers that vary from the merely advisory or legislative to the strongly executive with important appointments, the veto power, and sometimes preparation of the budget, and generally serving with a council but in many American cities replaced by or subordinate to a commission or city manager — used as a title or in a mode of address and to translate various foreign titles of similar municipal officials (as the French maire or the German burgomaster ); see mayor's court