— aldermancy, aldermanship , n. — aldermanic /awl'deuhr man"ik/ , adj.
/awl"deuhr meuhn/ , n. , pl. aldermen .
1. a member of a municipal legislative body, esp. of a municipal council.
2. (in England) one of the members, chosen by the elected councilors, in a borough or county council.
3. Early Eng. Hist.
a. a chief.
b. (later) the chief magistrate of a county or group of counties.
4. Northern U.S. Slang. a pot belly.
[ bef. 900; ME; OE ( e ) aldormann, equiv. to ealdor chief, patriarch ( eald OLD + -or n. suffix) + mann MAN 1 ]
Usage . See -man .