governor

• gouernour, gouvernor, gouvernour, governer, governour (all obsolete)
• guvnah, guvnuh (both informal)

From Middle English governour, borrowed 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”), from a Mediterranean substrate, likely Pre-Greek.

• (UK, non-rhotic) IPA^(key): /ˈɡʌv(ə)nə(ɹ)/
• (US, rhotic) IPA^(key): /ˈɡʌvəɹnəɹ/
• (US, non-rhotic) IPA^(key): /ˈɡʌvənə(ɹ)/
• (US, rhotic, r-dissimilation) IPA^(key): /ˈɡʌvənəɹ/

• Audio (US)

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governor (plural governors, feminine governess)

1. (politics) The chief executive officer of a province or provincial-level division of a country.
   • 1999, Karen O'Connor, The essentials of American government: continuity and change, p 17

     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. A device which regulates or controls some action of a machine through automatic feedback.
3. A member of a decision-making for an 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.

   Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, www.federalreserve.gov (November 6, 2009)

4. (informal) Father.
   • 1869, Louisa May Alcott, An Old-Fashioned Girl:

     "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."

5. (informal) Boss, employer.
6. (grammar) A constituent of a phrase that governs another.
7. (dated) One who has the care or guardianship of a young man; a tutor; a guardian.
8. (nautical) A pilot; a steersman.

• (head of a province): viceroy (of large divisions of a kingdom or empire); proconsul (of Roman regions, historical); bailiff, seneschal, intendant (of French regions, historical); tao tai (obsolete), circuit intendant, intendant, daotai (of Chinese regions, historical); provost (obsolete); gubernator (humorous)

• Bahamian Creole: governor
• Belizean Creole: govna
• Gullah: gobna
• Krio: governor
• Pichinglis: gɔvna, gɔbna
• Pijin: gavna
• Tobagonian Creole English: governor

governor

1. Alternative form of governour