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Chieftain

//ˈt͡ʃiːf.tən// noun

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A leader of a clan or tribe.

    "VI. THE PUYUMA GROUP. The tribes belonging to this group occupy the plains in Hinan and that neighbourhood, and call themselves "Puyumas," but the Chinese call them the "Hinan Savages". The Puyumas formed a very powerful State some 300 years ago, and united under one single rule as many as seventy isolated tribes scattered over the land, stretching from Hakusekikwaku and Seikoko to Harogwai in the southern part of the island, and were at one time so powerful that the chieftain was called by foreigners "The King of Hinan"."

  2. 2
    the leader of a group of people wordnet
  3. 3
    A leader of a group. broadly

    "The robber chieftain divided up the spoils."

  4. 4
    a head of a tribe or clan wordnet

Etymology

From Middle English cheveteyn, cheftayne, from Old French chevetaine, from Late Latin capitaneus (English captain), from Latin caput (“head”), from Proto-Indo-European *kauput- (English head), itself from Proto-Indo-European *kap-. Doublet of captain; related to chief.

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