Is a board of supervisors the same as a city council?

No. A board of supervisors is generally a county-level governing body in the U.S., while a city council governs a specific city or town within a county.

Who elects the members of a board of supervisors?

Members are typically elected by the voters residing in the districts or the county at large, depending on the local election laws.

Can 'board of supervisors' refer to something outside of government?

It is possible but very rare. Its primary and almost exclusive use is for U.S. county government. In other contexts, terms like 'oversight board' or 'board of governors' are more common.

What is the main function of a board of supervisors?

Its main functions include passing local laws (ordinances), approving the county budget, setting tax rates, and overseeing county departments and services.

Is “board of supervisors” formal?

Board of supervisors is usually formal, administrative, political in register.

How do you pronounce “board of supervisors”?

Board of supervisors: in American English it is pronounced /ˈbɔːrd əv ˌsuːpərˈvaɪzərz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.

board of supervisors: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

Low

US/ˈbɔːrd əv ˌsuːpərˈvaɪzərz/

Formal, Administrative, Political

My Flashcards

Quick answer

What does “board of supervisors” mean?

An elected governing body at the county level in the United States that has executive and legislative authority over county affairs.

Audio

Pronunciation

Definition

Meaning and Definition

An elected governing body at the county level in the United States that has executive and legislative authority over county affairs.

More broadly, it can refer to any governing body composed of elected or appointed officials who oversee, supervise, and make policy decisions for a specific jurisdiction, institution, or organization.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

The term is predominantly American. The British equivalent governing body at the county level is typically a 'county council' or a 'unitary authority'. 'Board of supervisors' is not a standard term in UK administrative language.

Connotations

In the U.S., it connotes local, direct democracy and fiscal authority. In the UK, using this term would be marked as an Americanism with unclear meaning.

Frequency

Very high frequency in U.S. county governance contexts; negligible to zero frequency in British English contexts.

Grammar

How to Use “board of supervisors” in a Sentence

The [County] Board of Supervisors [verb: voted/approved/rejected] the [noun: budget/proposal].[Subject] was appointed to/chaired the Board of Supervisors.

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong

County Board of Supervisorselectapprovemeeting of thechair of thevote of the

medium

supervisors on the boardresolution by thebudget from thereport to thepetition the

weak

address the boardcriticize the boardpowerful board

Examples

Examples of “board of supervisors” in a Sentence

verb

American English

The county will be governed by a newly elected body.
They oversee municipal services.

adjective

American English

A board-of-supervisors meeting is scheduled for Tuesday.
The board's budgetary authority is significant.

Usage

Meaning in Context

Business

May appear in business news regarding local regulations, zoning, or taxes approved by the county board.

Academic

Used in political science, public administration, and American studies when discussing local government structures.

Everyday

Rare in casual conversation outside of communities directly affected by its decisions (e.g., 'The board of supervisors raised property taxes.').

Technical

Core term in U.S. municipal law, public policy documents, and county administrative procedures.

Vocabulary

Synonyms of “board of supervisors”

Strong

county council (UK equivalent concept)county commission (some U.S. states)

Neutral

governing boardcounty councilcounty board

Weak

oversight committeeadministrative panel

Vocabulary

Antonyms of “board of supervisors”

constituency electorate general public

Watch out

Common Mistakes When Using “board of supervisors”

Using 'board of supervisors' to refer to city government (use 'city council').
Omitting 'of' (incorrect: 'board supervisors').
Capitalizing all words unnecessarily unless it's the official title of a specific body.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

: No. A board of supervisors is generally a county-level governing body in the U.S., while a city council governs a specific city or town within a county.
: Members are typically elected by the voters residing in the districts or the county at large, depending on the local election laws.
: It is possible but very rare. Its primary and almost exclusive use is for U.S. county government. In other contexts, terms like 'oversight board' or 'board of governors' are more common.
: Its main functions include passing local laws (ordinances), approving the county budget, setting tax rates, and overseeing county departments and services.
: An elected governing body at the county level in the United States that has executive and legislative authority over county affairs.
: Board of supervisors is usually formal, administrative, political in register.
: Board of supervisors: in American English it is pronounced /ˈbɔːrd əv ˌsuːpərˈvaɪzərz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

“A seat on the board of supervisors”
“To run for the board”

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think of a group of people SUPERVISING the business of a COUNTY from a BOARDroom.

Conceptual Metaphor

GOVERNANCE IS STEWARDSHIP (the board stewards county resources).

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap

In the U.S., the typically has the authority to set the annual county budget.

Multiple Choice

In which country is 'board of supervisors' a standard term for a county governing body?