Alderman

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: al + der + man

Origin

From Old English aldormann or ealdormann.

Full definition of alderman

Noun

1. A member of several municipal legislative bodies in a city or town.
2. (UK, historical, obsolete slang) A half-crown coin; its value, 30 pence.
• 1859, J.C. Hotten, A Dictionary of Modern Slang, Cant, and Vulgar WordsHalf-a-crown is known as an alderman, half a bull, half a tusheroon, and a madza caroon; whilst a crown piece, or five shillings, may be called either a bull, or a caroon, or a cartwheel, or a coachwheel, or a thick-un, or a tusheroon.
3. (1811) A roasted turkey. Only used in alderman in chains and alderman hung in chains.