chief

chief  (chf)

n.

1. One who is highest in rank or authority; a leader.

2.

a. A chief petty officer.

b. Nautical The chief engineer of a ship.

3. Slang A boss.

4. Heraldry The upper section of a shield.

5. The most important or valuable part.

adj.

1. Highest in rank, authority, or office.

2. Most important or influential. See Usage Note at absolute.

adv. Archaic

Chiefly.

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[Middle English chef, from Old French, from Latin caput, head; see kaput- in Indo-European roots.]

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chiefdom n.

chiefship n.

Synonyms: chief, principal, main, leading¹, foremost, primary, prime
These adjectives refer to what is first in rank or in importance. Chief applies to a person of the highest authority: a chief magistrate.
Used figuratively, chief implies maximum importance or value: her chief joy.
Principal applies to someone or something of the first order in power or significance: their principal source of entertainment.
Main applies to what exceeds others in extent, size, or importance: the main building on the campus.
Leading suggests personal magnetism, a record of achievement, or capacity for influencing others: one of the leading physicians of the city.
Foremost emphasizes the sense of having forged ahead of others: the foremost research scientist of the day.
Primary stresses first in the sense of origin, sequence, or development: primary school.
It can also mean first in the sense of "fundamental": the primary function of this machine.
Prime applies to what is first in comparison with others and to what is of the best quality: a theory of prime significance; a prime Burgundy.

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chief

Noun

1. the head of a group or body of people

2. the head of a tribe

Adjective

1. most important: the chief suspects

2. highest in rank: the Chief Constable [Latin caput head]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	chief - a person who is in charge; "the head of the whole operation" top dog, head leader - a person who rules or guides or inspires others administrator, executive - someone who manages a government agency or department administrator, decision maker - someone who administers a business capo - the head of a branch of an organized crime syndicate department head - the head of a department don, father - the head of an organized crime family superior general, general - the head of a religious order or congregation general manager - the highest ranking manager grand dragon - a high ranking person in the Ku Klux Klan head of household - the head of a household or family or tribe secretary - a person who is head of an administrative department of government
	2.	chief - a person who exercises control over workers; "if you want to leave early you have to ask the foreman" boss, foreman, honcho, gaffer baas - South African term for `boss' ganger - the foreman of a work gang assistant foreman, straw boss - a member of a work gang who supervises the other workers supervisor - one who supervises or has charge and direction of
	3.	chief - the head of a tribe or clan tribal chief, chieftain, headman leader - a person who rules or guides or inspires others Indian chief, Indian chieftain - the leader of a group of Native Americans pendragon - the supreme war chief of the ancient Britons
Adj.	1.	chief - most important element; "the chief aim of living"; "the main doors were of solid glass"; "the principal rivers of America"; "the principal example"; "policemen were primary targets"; "the master bedroom"; "a master switch" main, master, principal, primary important, of import - of great significance or value; "important people"; "the important questions of the day"

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chief

noun 1. head, leader, director, manager, lord, boss (informal) captain, master, governor, commander, principal, superior, ruler, superintendent, chieftain, ringleader, baas S. African ariki N.Z. sherang Austral., N.Z. << OPPOSITE subordinate

adjective 2. primary, highest, leading, main, prime, capital, central, key, essential, premier, supreme, most important, outstanding, principal, prevailing, cardinal, paramount, big-time (informal) foremost, major league (informal) predominant, uppermost, pre-eminent, especial << OPPOSITE minor

Translations

chief [tʃiːf] n → jefe/a m/f

adj → principal, esp máximo (LAM);

Chief of Staff (esp MIL) → Jefe m del Estado mayor

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chief [tʃiːf] n → chef m

adj → principal(e);

Chief of Staff (Mil) → chef d'État-major

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chief [tʃiːf] n → Häuptling m;

(of organization, department) → Leiter(in) m(f), Chef(in) m(f)

adj → Haupt-, wichtigste(r, s)

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chief [tʃiːf] n → capo

adj → principale;

Chief of Staff (MIL) → Capo di Stato Maggiore