chief Hear it!

chief Definition

chief (c̸hēf)

noun

  1. the head or leader of a group, organization, etc.; person of highest title or authority
  2. Archaic the most valuable or main part of anything
  3. Heraldry the upper third of a shield
  4. Naut. a chief engineer or chief petty officer

Etymology: ME chef, chief, leader < OFr < VL *capum < L caput, head

adjective

  1. highest, as in rank or office; foremost the chief magistrate
  2. most important or significant; main; principal the chief advantages

adverb

Archaic chiefly

Related Forms:

chief Idioms

in chief

  1. in the chief position; of highest title or authority editor in chief
  2. Archaic chiefly
chief Synonyms

chief

modif.

leading, main, foremost; see principal. See syn. study at principal.

chief Synonyms

chief

n.

  1. The outstanding person or thing

    leader, head, principal, manager, boss, overseer, governor, president, foreman, proprietor, supervisor, superior, director, chair, chairman, ringleader, general, master, dictator, superintendent, ruler, captain, commander, big shot*, brass hat*, higher-up*, bigwig*, big wheel*, big cheese*; high muck-a-muck*, head honcho*, número uno* (Spanish), prima donna*, triton among minnows*, the only pebble on the beach*, the biggest frog in the puddle*; see also administrator, leader 2.

    Antonyms subordinate, underling, retainer.

  2. A chieftain

    ruler, prince, master, sachem, sagamore, emperor, duke, majesty, monarch, overlord, suzerain, lord, potentate, sovereign, chieftain, headman, elder, Maharaja, sahib, Rajah, boyar, effendi, emir, sheik, pasha; see also king 1, ruler 1.

chief Usage Examples

Adjective modifier

  • native: Indirect rule in the North confirmed the power of native chiefs, who naturally found that their interests were identical to the British.

Noun used with modifier

  • police: Three top police chiefs sang from different hymn sheets on Tuesday.
  • ambulance: Attacks on paramedics soaring Attacks on paramedics in Staffordshire have risen fourfold in the past three years according to ambulance chiefs.
  • council: TAXI drivers say their livelihoods have been put at risk because council chiefs are handing out too many new licenses.
chief Quotes

   Hail to the Chief who in honour advances! Honoured and bless'd be the evergreen Pine!

—Scott, Sir Walter

This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

—Bible (NewTestament)