alderman

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a member of a municipal council, especially in a city or in a historical system of local government

   The alderman proposed repairing the market square at the next council meeting.

2. 2
   noun

   dated humorous: a large protruding belly or paunch, from the stereotype of a prosperous, well-fed civic official

   In the old cartoon, the merchant's alderman bulged over his waistcoat.

From Middle English alderman and Old English ealdormann, 'chief, prince, or elder,' formed from ealdor, 'elder or chief,' + mann, 'person.' The high Anglo-Saxon title later narrowed to municipal office. Comic references to rich civic banquets produced the old paunch sense and stereotypes behind aldermanic.

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