different between alderman vs aldermaness

English

Etymology

From Middle English alderman, aldermon, from Old English ealdorman, ealdormann, from ealdor (“elder, parent, chief, prince, author”) + mann (“man”). See ealdorman.

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: al?der?man

Noun

alderman (plural aldermen)

1. A member of a municipal legislative body in a city or town.
2. (Britain, historical, obsolete slang) A half-crown coin; its value, 30 pence.
   • 1859, J.C. Hotten, A Dictionary of Modern Slang, Cant, and Vulgar Words

     Half-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. A long pipe for smoking.
   • 1843, John William Carleton, The Sporting Review (volume 10, page 419)

     In one part of Cockaigne an amalgamation of these two last has lately taken place; and the pleasure experienced by the parishioners of Walbrook is unbounded when smoking an alderman and churchwarden.

4. (US, slang) a potbelly, paunch.
   • 1934, James T. Farrell, The Young Manhood of Studs Lonigan, ch. 13:

     He'd exercise, get the fat off, because if he let it go, he'd have too much on and maybe make his heart worse, and you looked like hell with an alderman. … And she wouldn't want a guy who stuck out in front like a balloon.

Derived terms

• aldermanic
• alderman in chains, alderman hung in chains

Synonyms

• baillie (Scotland)

Translations

See also

• Wikipedia article on Alderman (member of legislature)

Anagrams

• almander, malander

French

Etymology

From English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /al.d??.man/

Noun

alderman m (plural aldermans)

1. alderman

Old Frisian

Alternative forms

• aldermon
• aldirmon

Noun

alderman m

1. alderman

Inflection

Descendants

• West Frisian: âlderman

English

Etymology

alderman +? -ess

Noun

aldermaness (plural aldermanesses)

1. (rare) A female alderman; an alderwoman.
2. The wife of an alderman.