the head or leader of an organized body of people; the person highest in authority: the chief of police.
the head or ruler of a tribe or clan: an Indian chief.
(initial capital letter)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.
Informal. boss or leader: We'll have to talk to the chief about this.
Heraldry.
the upper area of an escutcheon.
an ordinary occupying this area.
adjective
highest in rank or authority: the chief priest; the chief administrator.
most important; principal: his chief merit; the chief difficulty.
c.1300, "highest in rank or power; most important or prominent; supreme, best," from Old French chief "chief, principal, first" (10c., Modern French chef), from Vulgar Latin *capum (also source of Spanish and Portuguese cabo, Italian capo, Provençal cap), from Latin caput "head," also "leader, guide, chief person; summit; capital city" (see capitulum).
chief
n.
c.1300, "head, leader, captain; the principal or most important part of anything;" from Old French chief "leader, ruler, head" of something, "capital city" (10c., Modern French chef), from Vulgar Latin *capum, from Latin caput "head," also "leader, chief person; summit; capital city" (see capitulum). Meaning "head of a clan" is from 1570s; later extended to American Indian tribes. Commander-in-chief attested from 1660s.
