chief
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.the person who is in charge of a group, a tribe, or a department.
n.the head or leader of an organized body of people, such as a tribe, a police force, or a business unit.
Simple“The fire chief arrived at the scene to coordinate the rescue efforts.”
In context“The tribal chiefs gathered for a summit to discuss land rights and environmental protections for their ancestral territories.”
Antonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
n.an informal way to address a man, sometimes used in a friendly or slightly rude way.
n.a colloquial form of address, often used ironically or to assert a casual dominance; it can be perceived as patronizing or offensive in certain cultural contexts.
Simple“Excuse me, chief, do you have the time?”
In context“The shopkeeper's use of 'chief' felt slightly condescending to the younger customers, though he likely intended it as a friendly gesture.”
Teacher's tipIn North America, using this as a casual address to an Indigenous person is considered highly offensive and should be avoided.
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.the most important or main part of something.
adj.principal or most important in rank, importance, or influence.
Simple“The chief reason for the delay was the heavy snow on the tracks.”
In context“The chief architect of the project argued that structural integrity must take precedence over aesthetic flourishes.”
UsageUsually placed before the noun it modifies.
Usage chief executive · chief of staff · chief technology
“Hamas calls on Board of Peace to ‘compel’ Israel to accept the Gaza peace plan after the Palestinian group, led by political chief al-Hayya, met with Kushner in Egypt.”
“Earlier, Hamas leader Khalil Al-Hayya met with Egypt's intelligence chief Hassan Rashad in Cairo.”
From Middle English cheef, chef, from Old French chef, chief (“leader”), from Vulgar Latin capus, from Latin caput (“head”) (from which also captain, chieftain), from Proto-Italic kaput, from Proto-Indo-European káput. Doublet of cape (“point of land”), capo, caput, and chef through Latin (possibly also related to cape (“sleeveless garment”) and cap (“head covering”) from Latin cappa); doublet of head and Howth through Proto-Indo-European.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.