Nearby Words
noun
1.
(among some North American Indians)
a.
the chief of a tribe.
b.
the chief of a confederation.
2.
a member of the governing body of the League of the iroquois.
3.
one of the high officials in the Tammany Society.
4.
Slang. a political party leader.
Origin:
1615–25, Americanism; < southeastern New England Algonquian (compare Narragansett (E spelling) sâchim, saunchum, Massachusett sontim) < Proto-Algonquian *sa˙kima˙wa; compare sagamore
1615–25, Americanism; < southeastern New England Algonquian (compare Narragansett (E spelling) sâchim, saunchum, Massachusett sontim) < Proto-Algonquian *sa˙kima˙wa; compare sagamore
Related forms
sa·chem·dom, noun
sa·chem·ship, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source
|
Link To sachem
:10
:09
:08
:07
:06
:05
:04
:03
:02
:01
Sachem
is always a great word to know.
So is navel-gazing. Does it mean:
| a highly uncomfortable or embarrassing situation |
| excessive absorption in self-analysis or focus on a single issue |
Collins
World English Dictionary
| sachem (ˈseɪtʃəm) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | (US) a leader of a political party or organization, esp of Tammany Hall |
| 2. | another name for sagamore |
| [C17: from Narraganset sǎchim chief] | |
| sachemic | |
| —adj | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
sachem
chief of an Amer. Indian tribe, 1622, from Narragansett (Algonquian) sachimau "chief, ruler," cognate with Abenaki sangman, Delaware sakima, Micmac sakumow, Penobscot sagumo (source of sagamore, 1613). Applied jocularly to a prominent member of any society from 1684; specific political use in U.S. is
EXPANDfrom 1890, from its use as the title of the 12 high officials of the Tammany Society of New York.
COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Cite This Source
Dictionary.com, LLC. Copyright © 2012. All rights reserved.