governor

noun

gov·​er·​nor ˈgə-vᵊn-ər How to pronounce governor (audio)
 also  ˈgə-vər-nər
1
: one that governs: such as
a
: one that exercises authority especially over an area or group
b
: an official elected or appointed to act as ruler, chief executive, or nominal head of a political unit
d
: the managing director and usually the principal officer of an institution or organization
e
: a member of a group that directs or controls an institution or society
2
: tutor
3
a
slang : one looked upon as governing
b
: mister, sir
usually used as a term of address
4
a
: an attachment to a machine (such as a gasoline engine) for automatic control or limitation of speed
b
: a device giving automatic control (as of pressure or temperature)
governorate
ˈgə-vᵊn-ər-ət How to pronounce governor (audio)
-ˌāt
 also  ˈgə-vər-nər-
noun

Examples of governor in a Sentence

the governor of the state of Florida He was the chairman of the board of governors at the school. the governor of the Bank of England Wait here while I get the governor.
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.
All three governors will be up for reelection next year. Jenny Goldsberry, The Washington Examiner, 16 June 2025 The cause of the collapse has not been determined, the governor said Monday. Leah Sarnoff, ABC News, 16 June 2025 The governor said at the time that the emergency regulations were needed to protect children from intoxicating hemp products, which are generally considered legal under the federal 2018 Farm Bill. A.j. Herrington, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025 The region's governor Oleh Hryhorov said Russia has already captured several Ukrainian villages along the border. Joanna Kakissis, NPR, 16 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for governor

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Cite this Entry

“Governor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/governor. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

governor

noun
gov·​er·​nor ˈgəv(-ə)-nər How to pronounce governor (audio)
 also  ˈgəv-ər-nər
1
: one that governs
especially : an official elected or appointed to act as ruler, chief executive, or head of a political unit (as a colony, state, or province)
2
: an attachment to a machine for automatic control of speed
governorship
-ˌship
noun

Legal Definition

governor

noun
gov·​er·​nor ˈgə-vər-nər How to pronounce governor (audio)
: one that governs: as
a
: one that exercises authority especially over an area or group
b
: an official elected or appointed to act as ruler, chief executive, or nominal head of a political unit
specifically : the chief executive of a U.S. state
c
: the managing director and usually the principal officer of an institution or organization
d
: a member of a group that controls or directs an institution
the Federal Reserve System's Board of Governors
governorship noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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