chief
Use Chief in a sentence
noun
1.
the head or leader of an organized body of people; the person highest in authority: the chief of police.
2.
the head or ruler of a tribe or clan: an Indian chief.
3.
( initial capital letter ) 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.
4.
Informal. boss or leader: We'll have to talk to the chief about this.
5.
Heraldry.
a.
the upper area of an escutcheon.
b.
an ordinary occupying this area.
adjective
6.
highest in rank or authority: the chief priest; the chief administrator.
7.
most important; principal: his chief merit; the chief difficulty.
00:10
Chief
is always a great word to know.
So is ninnyhammer. Does it mean:
| a fool or simpleton; ninny. |
| a gadget; dingus; thingumbob. |
adverb
Idioms 8.
Archaic. chiefly; principally.
9.
in chief,
a.
in the chief position; highest in rank (used in combination): editor in chief; commander in chief.
b.
Heraldry. in the upper part of an escutcheon.
Origin:
1250–1300; Middle English < Anglo-French chief, chef, Old French chef < Vulgar Latin *capum, re-formation of Latin caput head
1250–1300; Middle English < Anglo-French chief, chef, Old French chef < Vulgar Latin *capum, re-formation of Latin caput head
Related forms
chief·less, adjective
chief·ship, noun
sub·chief, noun
un·der·chief, noun
Antonyms
6. subordinate.
6. subordinate.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To Chief
Collins
World English Dictionary
chief (tʃiːf) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | the head, leader, or most important individual in a group or body of people |
| 2. | another word for chieftain |
| 3. | heraldry the upper third of a shield |
| 4. | in chief primarily; especially |
| —adj | |
| 5. | (prenominal) |
| a. most important; principal | |
| b. highest in rank or authority | |
| —adv | |
| 6. | archaic principally |
| [C13: from Old French, from Latin caput head] | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
chief
c.1300 (n. and adj.), from O.Fr. chief "leader, ruler, head" (of something), from L.L. capum, from L. caput "head" (see head).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Slang Dictionary
chief definition
|
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Example sentences
During the last visit, her chief complaint had been irritated sores on the scalp.
For you may imagine what kind of faith theirs was, when the chief doctors and fathers of their church were the poets.
According to the local police chief, this is not true.
The interpretation of the main part of it presents few difficulties, and he stated clearly his chief motive for writing it.
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