The plural of mayor; elected officials who serve as the head or chief executive of a city or town.
From Old French 'maior' meaning 'greater,' from Latin 'maior.' Originally meant the chief official, literally 'the greater one' among magistrates.
Mayors were called 'the greater' (maior) because they outranked other officials—but in modern times, big city mayors often have less actual power than corporate CEOs, flipping that medieval hierarchy!
Political titles historically assumed maleness; women mayors were often labeled 'lady mayor' or 'mayoress,' coding female governance as exceptional. Unmarked 'mayor' = male default.
Use 'mayor' for all genders without gendered modifier. 'Mayoress' is archaic; retired naturally as women entered office.
Early female mayors (e.g., Susanna Medley Salter, 1887) fought for electoral inclusion. Using neutral titles normalizes women's political authority.
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