What does "chief" mean?
The leader or head of a tribe, organisation, business unit, or other group.
Chief
/t͡ʃiːf/ adj, noun, verb, slang
adj, noun, verb, slang ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The leader or head of a tribe, organisation, business unit, or other group.
- Grammar: chief is listed as adj, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: boss, chieftain, head, a per se.
- Useful contrasts: inferior, asst, backbenchers.
- Usage evidence: You don't have proper dignity as chief of the section.
How to use "chief"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "chief" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "chief" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "chief" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "chief" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "chief" is acting as adj, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "boss" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "chief", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The leader or head of a tribe, organisation, business unit, or other group.
"In virtue of this privilege, in testimony of my affectionate respect for a revered chief, in conformity with what I believe to be the wish of all the Members of the scientific department, over which I have the honour to preside, and to perpetuate the memory of that illustrious master of accurate geographical research, I have determined to name this noble peak of the Himalayas ‘Mont Everest.’"
- 2 a person who exercises control over workers wordnet
- 3 Headship, the status of being a chief or leader. uncountable
"Bob is our troubleshooter in chief."
- 4 a person who is in charge wordnet
- 5 The top part of a shield or escutcheon; more specifically, an ordinary consisting of the upper part of the field cut off by a horizontal line, generally occupying the top third.
"When the Chief is Charged with any figure, in blazon it is said to be "On a Chief"."
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 a head of a tribe or clan wordnet
- 7 The principal part or top of anything.
- 8 An informal term of address. ironic, sometimes
"“How old are you, chief?” the elevator guy said."
- 9 An informal term of address.; An informal term of address for a Native American or First Nations man. ironic, offensive, sometimes
Verb
- 1 To smoke cannabis. slang
Adjective
- 1 Primary; principal.
"Negligence was the chief cause of the disaster."
- 2 Intimate, friendly. Scotland
"'You’re doing it because she was your friend, not because she was a parishioner, and certainly not because of the Declaratory Articles,' Macmurray said, pushing himself forward on his seat. 'Everybody knows how chief you and she were. It was an unfitting relationship for a minister while she was alive, and it is equally unfitting for you to do her a favour like this now she's dead.'"
Adjective
- 1 most important element wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"You don't have proper dignity as chief of the section."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "chief"?
Common synonyms include: boss, chieftain, head, a per se, ace, achievement.
How do you use "chief" in a sentence?
You don't have proper dignity as chief of the section.
How do you pronounce "chief"?
Pronounced /t͡ʃiːf/.
Etymology
From Middle English cheef, chef, from Old French chef, chief (“leader”), from Vulgar Latin capus, from Latin caput (“head”) (from which also captain, chieftain), from Proto-Italic *kaput, from Proto-Indo-European *káput. Doublet of cape (“point of land”), capo, caput, and chef through Latin (possibly also related to cape (“sleeveless garment”) and cap (“head covering”) from Latin cappa); doublet of head and Howth through Proto-Indo-European.