How Do You Spell SELECTMAN?

Pronunciation: [sɪlˈɛktmən] (IPA)

The word "selectman" refers to a member of a town's select board, responsible for governing the community. The spelling follows a combination of English and Latin roots, with stress on the second syllable. In IPA phonetics, the word is pronounced /sᵻˈlɛktmən/, with the short "i" sound in the unstressed initial syllable, followed by the stressed "e" sound in the second syllable. The word's spelling reflects the evolution of the English language and its incorporation of foreign influences.

SELECTMAN Meaning and Definition

1. A selectman is an elected public official who serves as a member of a board that governs and oversees a town or municipality. This term is primarily used in the United States, particularly in New England states such as Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Vermont.

   In a typical New England town government system, a board of selectmen, consisting of three to five selectmen, is responsible for making decisions and setting policies that affect the local community. Selectmen are elected by the residents of the town and serve for a predetermined term, usually three years, before facing re-election.

   The role of a selectman is to represent the interests and needs of the town's inhabitants. They participate in regular board meetings and public hearings to discuss and make decisions on a variety of matters, such as approving budgets, implementing local ordinances, and addressing community concerns. Selectmen collaborate with other local officials, including town managers or administrators, and may also oversee various departments, such as public works, finance, or public safety.

   Selectmen play a crucial role in ensuring that the town operates efficiently and effectively. They act as a link between the community and the town government, advocating for the interests and well-being of the residents they represent. Through their elected position, selectmen aim to provide transparent and accountable governance while promoting the overall welfare of the town and its citizens.

2. In New England towns, an officer chosen annually to manage its affairs, provide for the poor, &c.; natural selection, that process in nature by which plants and animals best fitted for the conditions in which they are placed survive and spread, while the less fitted die out and disappear.

   Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.

Common Misspellings for SELECTMAN

• selectign
• selecton
• selectin
• aelectman
• zelectman
• xelectman
• delectman
• eelectman
• welectman
• swlectman
• sslectman
• sdlectman
• srlectman
• s4lectman
• s3lectman
• selctman
• selektman
• selecwoman
• Selecteman
• Asoletmein
• delectian
• selectmane
• selctmane
• selectemann
• selecktman
• selekman
• selcomand

Etymology of SELECTMAN

The word "selectman" originated in colonial New England and has its roots in Old English. It is a compound word composed of "select" and "man".

The term "select" is derived from Middle English "selecten", which originated from Latin "selectus", meaning "chosen" or "picked out". "Selectus" is the past participle of "seligere", which combines "se-" (meaning "apart" or "away") and "legere" (meaning "to choose" or "to gather").

The word "man" comes from Old English "mann", and it refers to a person, especially an adult male.

In colonial New England, selectmen were elected officials responsible for overseeing local government and making decisions in the town meetings. They were chosen or "selected" from among the townspeople to represent their community.

Similar spelling words for SELECTMAN

• selective,
• selectivity,
• select,
• selectively,
• selectwoman,
• selection,
• selected,
• selector.

Plural form of SELECTMAN is SELECTMEN