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View synonyms for chief
chief
[ cheef ]
noun
- the head or leader of an organized body of people; the person highest in authority:
the chief of police.
- the head or ruler of a tribe or clan:
an Indian chief.
- Chief, U.S. Army. a title of some advisers to the Chief of Staff, who do not, in most instances, command the troop units of their arms or services:
Chief of Engineers;
Chief Signal Officer.
- Informal: Sometimes Offensive. boss or leader:
We'll have to talk to the chief about this.
- Heraldry.
- the upper area of an escutcheon.
- an ordinary occupying this area.
adjective
adverb
- Archaic. chiefly; principally.
chief
/ tʃiːf /
noun
- the head, leader, or most important individual in a group or body of people
- another word for chieftain
- heraldry the upper third of a shield
- in chiefprimarily; especially
adjective
- prenominal
- most important; principal
- highest in rank or authority
adverb
- archaic.principally
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Sensitive Note
See powwow.
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Other Words From
- chief·less adjective
- chief·ship noun
- sub·chief noun
- un·der·chief noun
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Word History and Origins
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Word History and Origins
Origin of chief1
C13: from Old French, from Latin caput head
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Idioms and Phrases
Idioms
- in chief,
- in the chief position; highest in rank (used in combination):
editor in chief; commander in chief.
- Heraldry. in the upper part of an escutcheon.
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Synonym Study
See capital 1.
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Related Words
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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