chief

1 of 3

adjective

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

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 himJane Austen
chiefship noun
Phrases
in chief
: in the chief position or place
often used in titles
commander in chief

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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Adjective
Take Robert Schein, chief investment officer at Blanke Schein Wealth Management, who said he’s boosted his cash equivalent holdings to 10% ahead of the election from his usual 5%. Alicia Adamczyk, Fortune, 3 Nov. 2024 While goals such as playing golf or visiting your children may take up a few days, ask yourself what the whole 365 days of a year in retirement will look like, Jamie Hopkins, chief wealth officer at WSFS Bank, tells Benz. Lorie Konish, CNBC, 3 Nov. 2024
Noun
Suddenly, the film’s earlier chase sequence is thrown into sharp relief: Shoving a microphone into the police chief’s face wasn’t merely a slick reporting maneuver, but a coping mechanism for trauma. Natalia Winkelman, IndieWire, 24 Oct. 2024 The Capitol Police chief can now request the National Guard without approval from the police board, a roadblock in 2021. Cuneyt Dil, Axios, 24 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for chief 

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of chief was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near chief

Cite this Entry

“Chief.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chief. Accessed 13 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

chief

1 of 2 adjective
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

More from Merriam-Webster on chief

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