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chief

 - 4 dictionary results

chief

  [cheef]
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.
–adverb
8. Archaic. chiefly; principally.
—Idiom
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; ME < AF chief, chef, OF chef < VL *capum, re-formation of L caput head

Related forms:
chiefless, adjective
chiefship, noun

Synonyms:
7. foremost, leading, prime, paramount, cardinal. See capital 1 .

Antonyms:
6. subordinate.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To chief
chief   (chēf)   
n.  

  1. One who is highest in rank or authority; a leader.

    1. A chief petty officer.

    2. Nautical The chief engineer of a ship.

  3. Slang A boss.

  4. Heraldry The upper section of a shield.

  5. The most important or valuable part.

adj.  

  1. Highest in rank, authority, or office.

  2. Most important or influential. See Usage Note at absolute.

adv.   Archaic
Chiefly.

[Middle English chef, from Old French, from Latin caput, head; see kaput- in Indo-European roots.]
chief'dom n., chief'ship' n.
Synonyms: These adjectives refer to what is first in rank or in importance. Chief applies to a person of the highest authority: a chief magistrate.
Used figuratively, chief implies maximum importance or value: her chief joy.
Principal applies to someone or something of the first order in power or significance: their principal source of entertainment.
Main applies to what exceeds others in extent, size, or importance: the main building on the campus.
Leading suggests personal magnetism, a record of achievement, or capacity for influencing others: one of the leading physicians of the city.
Foremost emphasizes the sense of having forged ahead of others: the foremost research scientist of the day.
Primary stresses first in the sense of origin, sequence, or development: primary school.
It can also mean first in the sense of "fundamental": the primary function of this machine.
Prime applies to what is first in comparison with others and to what is of the best quality: a theory of prime significance; a prime Burgundy.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Slang Dictionary
chief

  1. n.
    the person in charge. (Also a term of address.) : You got a couple of clams to pay the toll with, chief?
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Word Origin & History

chief 
1297 (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, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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