What does "governor" mean?
The chief executive officer of a first-level administrative division of a country.
Governor
/ˈɡʌv(ə)nə(ɹ)/ noun, slang
noun, slang ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The chief executive officer of a first-level administrative division of a country.
- Grammar: governor is listed as noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: regulator, abba, administrator, administrator.
- Useful contrasts: colonial council, accelerator, citizen.
- Usage evidence: Everybody wished he had been elected governor.
How to use "governor"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "governor" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "governor" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "governor" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "governor" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "governor" is acting as noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "regulator" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "governor", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The chief executive officer of a first-level administrative division of a country.
"Younger voters are more libertarian in political philosophy than older voters and are credited with the success of libertarian governor Jesse Ventura of Minnesota."
- 2 The title for someone who holds the post of governor.
"The Auschwitz Memorial Museum slammed Kyle Langford, Republican candidate for Governor of California, after his antisemitic remarks, calling out his actions as a “profound moral failure.”"
- 3 a control that maintains a steady speed in a machine (as by controlling the supply of fuel) wordnet
- 4 A device which regulates or controls some action of a machine through automatic feedback.
"A governor on the injection pump limits the speed when running idle."
- 5 the head of a state government wordnet
Show 7 more definitions
- 6 A member of a decision-making body (such as a committee) for a larger organization or entity (including some public agencies), similar to or equivalent to a board of directors (used especially for banks); a member of the board of governors.
"The seven members of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate."
- 7 Father. informal
""Say 'father.' We never called him papa; and if one of my brothers had addressed him as 'governor,' as boys do now, I really think he'd have him cut off with a shilling.""
- 8 Boss; employer; gaffer. informal
- 9 Term of address to a man; guv'nor. UK, dated, informal
- 10 A constituent of a phrase that governs another.
- 11 One who has the care or guardianship of a young man; a tutor; a guardian. dated
- 12 A pilot; a steersman.
Antonyms
Example
"Everybody wished he had been elected governor."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "governor"?
Common synonyms include: regulator, abba, administrator, administrator, aegis, agent.
How do you use "governor" in a sentence?
Everybody wished he had been elected governor.
How do you pronounce "governor"?
Pronounced /ˈɡʌv(ə)nə(ɹ)/.
Etymology
From Middle English governour, from Old French gouvreneur, from Latin gubernator, from Ancient Greek κυβερνήτης (kubernḗtēs, “steersman, pilot, guide”), from κυβερνάω (kubernáō, “to steer, to drive, to guide, to act as a pilot”), of disputed origin. By surface analysis, govern + -or. Doublet of gubernator. Doublet of cybernetics and Kubernetes.