governor

noun

gov·​er·​nor ˈgə-vᵊn-ər How to pronounce governor (audio)
also ˈgə-vər-nər
Synonyms of governornext
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
the state's governor
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
the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
2
: tutor
3
a
slang : one looked upon as governing
b
British, informal : 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 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.
The governor’s mansion, Plantation House, was built in 1791 by the East India Company, and is famed today as the home of Jonathan, a tortoise from the Seychelles who is now aged about 194 and thought to be the oldest creature on Earth. — The Week Uk, TheWeek, 11 Oct. 2026 Regional governor Alexander Shuvayev said that 12 people had been wounded in Ukrainian strikes. — Arkansas Online, 10 Oct. 2026 The governor said some 16,000 utility workers were busy trying to get power returned to homeowners. — Bill Chappell, NPR, 10 Oct. 2026 The campaign for the Democratic nominee for governor, David Jolly, declined to comment on what the new opinion meant for the Hope Florida saga. — Liv Caputo, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2026 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 14 Oct. 2026.

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
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on governor

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!