The difference between Mayor and Provost

When used as nouns, mayor means the leader of a city, or a municipality, sometimes just a figurehead and sometimes a powerful position. in some countries, the mayor is elected by the citizens or by the city council, whereas provost means a dean: the head of a cathedral chapter.


Provost is also verb with the meaning: to be delivered to a provost marshal for punishment.

check bellow for the other definitions of Mayor and Provost

  1. Mayor as a noun:

    The leader of a city, or a municipality, sometimes just a figurehead and sometimes a powerful position. In some countries, the mayor is elected by the citizens or by the city council.

  2. Mayor as a noun (historical):

    The steward of some royal courts, particularly in early Medieval France

  1. Provost as a noun (religion, historical):

    One placed in charge: a head, a chief, particularly: A dean: the head of a cathedral chapter. The head of various other ecclesiastical bodies, even muezzins. The minister of the chief Protestant church of a town or region in Germany, the Low Countries, and Scandinavia. The head of various colleges and universities. A ruler. A mayor: the chief magistrate of a town, particularly the head of a burgh or the former chiefs of various towns in France, Flanders, or other Continental European countries.

  2. Provost as a noun (religion, historical):

    A senior deputy, a superintendent, particularly: A prior: an abbot's second-in-command. A senior deputy administrator; a vice-president of academic affairs. A steward or seneschal: a medieval agent given management of a feudal estate or charged with collecting fees; a title of the archangel Michael. Any manager or overseer in a medieval or early modern context. A viceroy. A governor. A reeve. Various Roman offices, as prefect and praetor. A constable: a medieval or early modern official charged with arresting, holding, and punishing criminals. An officer of the military police, particularly provost marshal or provost sergeant. An assistant fencing master.

  3. Provost as a noun (UK, military, _, slang, obsolete):

    A provost cell: a military cell or prison.

  1. Provost as a verb (UK, transitive, used in passive, obsolete, military, _, slang):

    To be delivered to a provost marshal for punishment.

    Examples:

    "Around the time of the [[w:Rebellions of 1837 Rebellions of 1837]] and the [[w:First Anglo-Afghan War First Anglo-Afghan War]], British servicemen spoke of being provosted."