Chief Definition & Meaning

American

British

Sensitive Note

Related Words

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms chief American [cheef] / tʃif /

noun

1. the head or leader of an organized body of people; the person highest in authority.

   the chief of police.

2. the head or ruler of a tribe or clan.

   an Indian chief.

3. U.S. Army. Chief, 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.

4. Informal: Sometimes Offensive. boss or leader.

   We'll have to talk to the chief about this.

5. Heraldry.

   1. the upper area of an escutcheon.

   2. an ordinary occupying this area.

adjective

1. highest in rank or authority.

   the chief priest;

   the chief administrator.

   Antonyms: subordinate

2. most important; principal.

   his chief merit;

   the chief difficulty.

   Synonyms: paramount, prime, leading, foremost, cardinal

adverb

1. Archaic. chiefly; principally.

idioms

1. in chief,

   1. in the chief position; highest in rank (used in combination).

      editor in chief; commander in chief.

   2. Heraldry. in the upper part of an escutcheon.

chief British / tʃiːf /

noun

1. the head, leader, or most important individual in a group or body of people

2. another word for chieftain

3. heraldry the upper third of a shield

4. primarily; especially

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

1. (prenominal)

   1. most important; principal

   2. highest in rank or authority

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adverb

1. archaic principally

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Sensitive Note

See powwow.

Related Words

See capital 1.

Other Word Forms

• chiefless adjective
• chiefship noun
• subchief noun
• underchief noun

Etymology

Origin of chief

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Anglo-French chief, chef, Old French chef, from unattested Vulgar Latin capum, re-formation of Latin caput head

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Key details: Consumer spending, the chief engine of the economy, grew at a brawny 3.5% rate in third quarter.

From MarketWatch

The Big Food Project's chief executive officer Claire Powell said: "This incredibly generous donation means we can keep our doors open and provide thousands of meals across the Fylde coast over Christmas and into 2026."

From BBC

“Ideally, you build a workplace where there’s enough of a culture of psychological safety for people to openly discuss how they operate,” said Grant, who also serves as Glassdoor’s chief worklife expert.

From The Wall Street Journal

David Briggs, Sustainable Beef’s chief executive, said its plant received more than 100 applications the day after Tyson’s announcement.

From The Wall Street Journal

A significant portion of Jeep’s portfolio now falls below a $50,000 sticker price, according to Bob Broderdorf, chief executive of the Jeep brand.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• captain
• commander
• director
• head
• leader
• manager
• ruler
• superintendent
• supervisor

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.