# governor

/ˈɡəvɝnɝ/ (US) · /ɡˈʌvənɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/governor
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. political leader

noun · CEFR B2

the person in charge of a state, province, or colony.

For teachers: the chief executive official of a first-level administrative division, such as a state or province.

- The governor of California signed the new law yesterday morning.
- The governor exercised her veto power to block the controversial legislation, citing concerns over its long-term fiscal impact on the state budget.

### 2. board member

noun · CEFR B2

a member of a group that makes important decisions for an organization like a school or bank.

For teachers: a member of a governing body or board of directors responsible for the oversight of an institution.

- The school governors met to discuss the budget for the next year.
- As a governor of the central bank, he was responsible for voting on interest rate adjustments to curb rising inflation.

### 3. mechanical regulator

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a part of a machine that automatically controls its speed.

For teachers: a mechanical device used to regulate the speed or power of an engine or machine through automatic feedback.

- The engine has a governor to prevent it from running too fast.
- The steam engine's centrifugal governor ensures that the machinery maintains a constant speed regardless of the varying load applied to it.

### 4. boss or father

noun · CEFR C1 · British English · Informal

an informal word for your boss or your father.

For teachers: an informal or colloquial term used to refer to one's employer, father, or a person in authority.

- I'll have to ask the governor if I can take Friday off.
- He spent the afternoon working in the garage with his governor, fixing up an old motorbike they had bought at auction.

### 5. term of address

noun · CEFR C2 · British English · Informal · Dialect

a polite but informal way to address a man, often shortened to 'guv'.

For teachers: a traditional, informal term of address for a man, typically used by someone of a lower social or professional status.

- Excuse me, governor, do you have the time?
- The taxi driver tipped his cap and said, 'That will be ten pounds, governor,' as we reached the station.

Teaching tip: This usage is increasingly rare and often associated with older generations or specific working-class dialects in London.

## Examples

- The governor signed the new law this morning.
- Voters will head to the polls next Tuesday to elect a new governor for the province.
- The governor exercised her power of veto to block the controversial spending bill, citing concerns over the long-term impact on the state's fiscal health.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.