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a member of a municipal legislative body, especially of a municipal council.
(in England) one of the members, chosen by the elected councilors, in a borough or county council.
Early English History.

a chief.
(later) the chief magistrate of a county or group of counties.

Northern U.S. Slang. a pot belly.
Historical Examples

These influences are frequently referred to in aldermanic documents.
History of the Great American Fortunes, Vol. I Myers Gustavus

It sounds to me more like the menu of an aldermanic banquet.
A Chinese Command Harry Collingwood

These things dwell longer in our memories than does the aldermanic banquet.
Household Organization Florence Caddy

But Dan with such capital back of him as well as his aldermanic power was sure to get the contracts.
One Way Out William Carleton

He is a heeler for one of the most notorious of the aldermanic gang.
Chicago, Satan’s Sanctum L. O. Curon

In the state of nature every man lives as he wishes,—he is not pestered with police regulations and aldermanic ordinances.
Philosophy and The Social Problem Will Durant

What aldermanic man would risk the chance of seeing himself in the mirror?
Journeys to Bagdad Charles S. Brooks

From this sunny side of aldermanic life we turn to some verse sent to us by a loving grandpa from the pen of Miss Elsie Rae.
Belford’s Magazine, Vol II, No. 10, March 1889 Various

The first is that which makes its appearance at aldermanic feasts.
In the Wilds of Florida W.H.G. Kingston

Men happily married make money, cultivate content, and evolve an aldermanic front; but love and poetry are symptoms of unrest.
Little Journeys to the Homes of the Great, Volume 5 (of 14) Elbert Hubbard

noun (pl) -men
(in England and Wales until 1974) one of the senior members of a local council, elected by other councillors
(in the US, Canada, Australia, etc) a member of the governing body of a municipality
(history) a variant spelling of ealdorman
n.

Old English aldormonn (Mercian), ealdormann (West Saxon) “ruler, prince, chief; chief officer of a shire,” from aldor, ealder “patriarch” (comparative of ald “old;” see old) + monn, mann “man” (see man (n.)). A relic of the days when the elders were automatically in charge of the clan or tribe, but already in Old English used for king’s viceroys, regardless of age. The word yielded in Old English to eorl, and after the Norman Conquest to count (n.). Meaning “headman of a guild” (early 12c.) passed to “magistrate of a city” (c.1200) as the guilds became identified with municipal government.
alderman [(awl-duhr-muhn)]

A member of a city council. Aldermen usually represent city districts, called wards, and work with the mayor to run the city government. Jockeying among aldermen for political influence is often associated with machine politics.