chieftain

[ cheef-tuhn, -tin ]

noun

1. the chief of a clan or a tribe.
2. a leader of a group, band, etc.:

   the robbers' chieftain.

3. Chieftain, Military. Britain's main battle tank since 1969, fitted with a 120 mm gun and two machine guns and weighing 55 tons (50 metric tons).

chieftain

/ -tɪn; ˈtʃiːftən /

noun

1. the head or leader of a tribe or clan
2. the chief of a group of people

Derived Forms

• ˈchieftaincy, noun

Other Words From

• chieftain·cy chieftain·ship noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of chieftain¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English cheftayne, variant of chevetaine, from Old French, from Late Latin capitāneus “chief”; captain

Word History and Origins

Origin of chieftain¹

C14: from Old French chevetaine, from Late Latin capitāneus commander; see captain

Example Sentences

From chieftains and the council of elders, there was a societal progression to kings and overlords of entire city-states, with the early dynastic period of the Sumerians starting from circa 2900 BC.

From Realm of History

Such clan-based encounters in the society of Goths were pretty common and as such kept the warlords, chieftains, leaders, and their armed retinues in a relative state of battle readiness.

From Realm of History

Many of the aspects also bear striking similarities to the divine characteristics of Odin, the chieftain of the Æsir tribe of ancient Norse gods.

From Realm of History

The history of the world was a history of emperors, kings, princes, dukes, czars, sultans, mogul lords, tribal chieftains, and the like.

From Time

Today, Adjuah is a chieftain as well, with his own tribe, Chief Adjuah and the Xodokan Nation, a modern version of the Brave, his grandfather’s first clan.

From Washington Post

This was not quite how things appeared to the Caledonian chieftain Calgacus before he fought the invading Roman army in AD 83.

From The Daily Beast

With a groan and a curse the guerrilla chieftain yielded himself a prisoner.

From Project Gutenberg

To the Federal soldiers in pursuit she swore the guerrilla chieftain had passed by without stopping.

From Project Gutenberg

The South Wind gently opened the door, and a young chieftain, with a face like the sun, entered.

From Project Gutenberg

The young chieftain passed in and sat down by the strange fire that had no heat.

From Project Gutenberg

He raged about the lodge and ordered the young chieftain with sunshine in his face and warmth in his breath to depart.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bigwig
• boss
• tribal chief