Definition of 'chief'
Word forms: chiefs
1. countable noun
2. countable noun & title noun
3. adjective [ADJ n]
4. adjective [ADJ n]
The chief cause, part, or member of something is the most important one.
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Video: pronunciation of
chief
Word Frequency
chief in American English
noun
1.
the head or leader of a group, organization, etc.; person of highest title or authority
3. Heraldry
the upper third of a shield
adjective
adverb
Idioms:
SYNONYMY NOTE:
chief is applied to the person or thing first in rank, authority, importance, etc., and
usually connotes subordination of all others [his chief problem was getting a job]; UNRESOLVED CROSS REF is applied to the person who directs or controls others [a principal clerk] or to the thing or person having precedence over all others by reason of size, position,
importance, etc. [the principal products of Africa];
main, in strict usage, is applied to the thing, often part of a system or an extensive
whole, that is preeminent in size, power, importance, etc. [the main line of a railroad];
lead1 verb transitive stresses capacity for guiding, conducting, or drawing others [a leading light, question, etc.];
foremost suggests a being first by having moved ahead to that position [the foremost statesman of our time];
capital1 is applied to that which is ranked at the head of its kind or class because of its
importance or its special significance [the capital city] OPPOSITES: subordinate, subservient
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Derived forms
chiefdom (ˈchiefdom)
noun
Word Frequency
chief in American English
(tʃif)
noun
1.
the head or leader of an
organized body of people; the person highest in authority
the chief of police
3. (cap) 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
6. See
in chief
adjective
7.
highest in rank or authority
the chief priest
the chief administrator
8.
most important; principal
his chief merit
the chief difficulty
adverb
9. archaic
chiefly; principally
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Derived forms
chiefless adjective
chiefship
noun
Word origin
[1250–1300; ME ‹ AF chief, chef, OF chef ‹ VL *capum, re-formation of L caput head]Word Frequency
chief in British English
adverb
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin
C13: from Old French, from Latin caput head
Examples of 'chief' in a sentence
chief
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Word lists with
chief
heraldry,
Titles of rulersQuick word challenge
Quiz Review
Question: 1
-
Score: 0 / 5
Which ruling title am I called?
(in W Africa) a Yoruba chief or ruler
Which ruling title am I called?
(in oriental countries, esp India) a queen or princess; the wife of a rajah
Which ruling title am I called?
the chief of an Arab family, tribe, or village
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Trends of
chief
View usage over:
In other languages
chief
British English: chief
/tʃiːf/ ADJECTIVE
Chief is used in the job titles of the most senior worker or workers of a particular kind in an organization.
...the chief test pilot.
- American English: chief
- Arabic: رَئِيسيّ
- Brazilian Portuguese: chefe
- Chinese: 首要的
- Croatian: glavni
- Czech: hlavní
- Danish: ledende
- Dutch: voornaamst
- European Spanish: jefe
- Finnish: pää-
- French: principal plus important
- German: wichtigster
- Greek: κύριος
- Italian: capo
- Japanese: 主要な
- Korean: 제1의
- Norwegian: sjefs-
- Polish: główny naczelny
- European Portuguese: chefe
- Romanian: șef
- Russian: старший
- Spanish: en jefe
- Swedish: huvud-
- Thai: สำคัญ
- Turkish: baş
- Ukrainian: головний
- Vietnamese: trưởng
British English: chief
/tʃiːf/ NOUN
The chief of an organization or department is its leader or the person in charge of it.
...the police chief.
- American English: chief
- Arabic: رَئِيس
- Brazilian Portuguese: chefe
- Chinese: 首领
- Croatian: šef
- Czech: vedoucí
- Danish: chef
- Dutch: leider
- European Spanish: jefe
- Finnish: päällikkö
- French: chef patron
- German: Oberhaupt
- Greek: αρχηγός
- Italian: capo
- Japanese: ･･･長 統率
- Korean: 우두머리
- Norwegian: leder
- Polish: szef
- European Portuguese: chefe
- Romanian: șef
- Russian: руководитель
- Spanish: jefe
- Swedish: ledare
- Thai: ผู้นำ
- Turkish: şef
- Ukrainian: керівник
- Vietnamese: người đứng đầu
Nearby words of
chief
Related terms of
chief
Source
Definition of chief from the
Collins English Dictionary
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