1. (Abbr. Gov.) A person who governs, especially:
   1. The chief executive of a state in the United States.
   2. An official appointed to govern a colony or territory.
   3. A member of a governing body.
2. The manager or administrative head of an organization, business, or institution.
3. (Abbr. Gov.) A military commandant.
4. Chiefly British. Used as a form of polite address for a man.
5. A feedback device on a machine or engine that is used to provide automatic control, as of speed, pressure, or temperature.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.