Mayor is derived from the Teutonic Meyer, a lover of might.
Sheriff is compounded of the old words shyre and reve—an officer of the county, one who hath the overlooking of the shire.
Yeoman is the Teutonic word gemen, corrupted in the spelling, and means a commoner.
Groom signifies one who serves in an inferior station. The name of bridegroom was formerly given to the new-married man, because it was customary for him to wait at table on his bride and friends on his wedding day.
All our words of necessity are derived from the German; our words of luxury and those used at table, from the French. The sky, the earth, the elements, the names of animals, household goods, and articles of food, are the same in German as in English; the fashions of dress, and every thing belonging to the kitchen, luxury, and ornament, are taken from the French; and to such a degree of exactness, that the names of animals which serve for the ordinary food of men, such as ox, calf, sheep, when alive, are called the same in English as in German; but when they are served up for the table they change their names, and are called beef, veal, mutton, after the French.[106]
[106] Dutens.