sachem

[ sey-chuhm ]

/ ˈseɪ tʃəm /

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noun

(among some North American Indians)

the chief of a tribe.
the chief of a confederation.

a member of the governing body of the League of the Iroquois.

one of the high officials in the Tammany Society.

Slang. a political party leader.

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Origin of sachem

First recorded in 1615–25, Americanism; from southeastern New England Algonquian (compare Narragansett (English spelling) sâchim, saunchum, Massachusett sontim ), from unattested Proto-Algonquian sa˙kima˙wa; cf. sagamore

OTHER WORDS FROM sachem

sa·chem·dom, nounsa·chem·ic

[sey-chem-ik, sey-chuh-mik], /seɪˈtʃɛm ɪk, ˈseɪ tʃə mɪk/, adjectivesa·chem·ship, noun

Words nearby sachem

sacellum, sacerdotal, sacerdotalism, sac fly, sac fungus, sachem, Sacher-Masoch, Sacher torte, sachet, sac hit, Sachs

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use sachem in a sentence

Soon after he had some lively service in the Wasp, and captured a British privateer with the little sloop Sachem.
Stories of Our Naval Heroes|Various
Who are you with a white skin who speak like a crested sachem?
The Reckoning|Robert W. Chambers
The Indians of several villages were sometimes united together in a petty tribe and were ruled by a sachem, or chief.
Four American Indians|Edson L. Whitney
For several years Philip was grand sachem of the Wampanoags and kept this treaty with great faithfulness.
Four American Indians|Edson L. Whitney

He knew that the son of the grand sachem of the Wampanoags could do anything that any other Indian had done.
Four American Indians|Edson L. Whitney

British Dictionary definitions for sachem

sachem

/ (ˈseɪtʃəm) /

noun

US a leader of a political party or organization, esp of Tammany Hall

another name for sagamore

Derived forms of sachem

sachemic (seɪˈtʃɛmɪk, ˈseɪtʃə-), adjective

Word Origin for sachem

C17: from Narraganset sǎchim chief

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