gəˌmæsBased on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
burgomaster (ˈbɜːɡəˌmɑːstə) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | the chief magistrate of a town in Austria, Belgium, Germany, or the Netherlands; mayor |
| 2. | a popular name for the glaucous gull |
| [C16: partial translation of Dutch burgemeester; see | |
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
| a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal. |
| a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes. |
burgomaster
("town master"), mayor or chief magistrate of a German town, city, or rural commune. The title is also used in such countries as Belgium (bourgmeistre) and The Netherlands (burgemeester). Most German towns have a burgomaster, but larger cities may have several, one being the chief burgomaster (oberburgermeister). Burgomasters may be elected by the voters or by a council, and their power varies from place to place. The burgomaster may be chairman of the city council, or he may preside over an administrative board elected by the city council, or he may preside over a city council but have limited powers. In addition to his municipal duties, a burgomaster is a state official. He assists the state's attorney's office and attends to other state functions that are not assigned to other state officials. Burgomasters today are often trained public administrators, much like city managers in the United States.
Learn more about burgomaster with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Cite This Source
