chiefly

American  

[cheef-lee] / ˈtʃif li /

adverb

1. primarily; essentially.

   He phoned chiefly to let us know he was feeling better.

2. mainly; mostly.

   This dish consists chiefly of noodles.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or like a chief.

   his chiefly responsibilities.

chiefly British  

/ ˈtʃiːflɪ /

adverb

1. especially or essentially; above all

2. in general; mainly; mostly

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adjective

1. of or relating to a chief or chieftain

Related Words

See especially.

Etymology

Origin of chiefly

Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; chief, -ly

Example Sentences

They can be summoned via the third-party app Honk, which chiefly is used by tow truck operators to find stranded customers.

From Los Angeles Times

As well as keeping order in the Senedd, Jones is also chiefly responsible for ensuring the changes are implemented.

From BBC

For another, their armor protected their hulls against attack — the design rationale being that they would chiefly engage enemy vessels in battleship-to-battleship engagements — but their decks were susceptible to assault from the skies.

From Los Angeles Times

But she also has a few canine characteristics that soon disappeared — chiefly flapping dog ears, which morphed into hoop earrings by 1932.

From Los Angeles Times

A 13% annual increase in demand creation—chiefly marketing expenses—also pushed up selling and administrative expenses slightly.

From Barron's

Related Words

• especially
• essentially
• largely
• mostly
• predominantly
• principally