portreeve

noun

1. A borough-reeve: an office equivalent to a mayor (historical) in several major English towns or (dialect) in various minor boroughs of Wales and Southwest England.

   Instead of the portgreve [of London], Richard the first ordained two bailiffs, but presently after him King John granted them a mayor for their yearly magistrate.

2. A municipal office subordinate to a mayor, (especially) a bailiff.

   historical

3. A port reeve, a port warden.

   historical

Where it comes from

From Middle English portereve, portereve, from Old English portġerēfa, from port (“a walled market town”) + ġerēfa (“reeve”). By surface analysis, port + reeve.

Adapted from the Wiktionary entry portreeve (CC BY-SA 4.0).

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