chief

1 of 3

adjective

ˈchēf 

1

: accorded highest rank or office

chief librarian

the company's chief executive

2

: of greatest importance or influence

the chief reasons

their chief accomplishment

chief

2 of 3

adverb

archaic

: chiefly

chief

3 of 3

noun

1

: the upper part of a heraldic field

2

: the head of a body of persons or an organization : leader

chief of police

3

: the principal or most valuable part

would never rest till she had read the chief of the letter to him

—Jane Austen

chiefship

ˈchēf-ˌship 

noun

Phrases

in chief

: in the chief position or place

—often used in titles

commander in chief

Synonyms

Adjective

• arch
• big
• capital
• cardinal
• central
• dominant
• first
• foremost
• grand
• great
• greatest
• highest
• key
• leading
• main
• master
• number one
• No. 1
• numero uno
• overbearing
• overmastering
• overriding
• paramount
• predominant
• preeminent
• premier
• primal
• primary
• principal
• prior
• sovereign
• sovran
• supreme

Noun

• body
• brunt
• bulk
• core
• generality
• heft [archaic]
• main
• mass
• staple
• weight

Examples of chief in a Sentence

Adjective

the chief engineer on the project

Her job is their chief source of income.

He has many concerns, chief among them his health.

Noun

the chief of the estate was left to the eldest son

our chief is out on a business trip right now

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

In a separate analysis by Joshua Long, chief security analyst at Mac security specialists Intego, users are warned that the same fake meeting software could potentially be used in other scam campaigns and such a variation could target you regardless of your interests. —Davey Winder, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024

Three days after the Berliners vacated Carnegie, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, another indisputably world-class ensemble, arrived to play two concerts under Klaus Mäkelä, its twenty-eight-year-old chief conductor designate. —Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024

Noun

Later on Wednesday, National Police Agency Commissioner General Cho Ji Ho and Kim Bong-sik, chief of Seoul's metropolitan police agency, were detained in connection with the martial law case, police confirmed. —Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024

The electric vehicle maker still is shooting for a launch of its cheaper vehicle in the first half of next year and other models later in the year, the bank said after the meeting with investor relations chief Travis Axelrod. —Rachael Levy, USA TODAY, 11 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Adjective

Middle English, from Anglo-French chief, chef head, chief, from Latin caput head — more at head

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing chief

• air chief marshal
• chief constable
• chief executive
• chief executive officer
• chief justice
• chief master sergeant
• chief master sergeant of the air force
• chief of naval operations
• chief of police
• chief of staff
• chief of state
• chief petty officer
• chief warrant officer
• commander in chief
• crew chief
• editor in chief
• fire chief
• in chief
• master chief petty officer
• master chief petty officer of the coast guard
• master chief petty officer of the navy
• senior chief petty officer
• sub-chief

Kids Definition

chief

1 of 2 adjective

ˈchēf 

1

: highest in rank or authority

chief librarian

2

: most important : main

your chief claim to fame

chief

2 of 2 noun

: the head of a group : leader

chief of police

Etymology

Noun

Middle English chief "top part, head," from early French chief "head, chief," from Latin caput "head" — related to capital, captain