Word
reeves
Phoneticsreeves
US/ˈɹivz/
UK/ɹˈiːvz/
Definition
n. in the past, officials in England who were in charge of a town or district.
n. plural form of reeve; historical administrative officials in England responsible for local government or estate management.
Examples
“The reeve led the town council meeting.”
“In medieval England, the reeve was responsible for overseeing the lord's lands and ensuring the peasants completed their work.”
“While the term has largely vanished from British administrative use, several Canadian provinces retain the title of reeve for the chief executive officer of a rural municipality.”
Examples
simple
“The reeve led the town council meeting.”
contextual
“In medieval England, the reeve was responsible for overseeing the lord's lands and ensuring the peasants completed their work.”
complex
“While the term has largely vanished from British administrative use, several Canadian provinces retain the title of reeve for the chief executive officer of a rural municipality.”
Usage
Usually appears in historical or legal texts discussing Anglo-Saxon or medieval governance.
Teaching tip
This term is rarely encountered outside of historical literature or academic study of the Middle Ages.
Synonyms
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/reeves