chief

chief [chēf]

n.

[ME chef, chief, leader < OFr < VL * capum < L caput, HEAD]

1. the head or leader of a group, organization, etc.; person of highest title or authority

2. Archaic the most valuable or main part of anything

3. Heraldry the upper third of a shield

4. [usually C-] Naut. a chief engineer or chief petty officer

adj.

1. highest, as in rank or office; foremost [the chief magistrate]

2. most important or significant; main; principal [the chief advantages]

adv.

Archaic chiefly

chiefly

——————

in chief

1. in the chief position; of highest title or authority [editor in chief]

2. Archaic chiefly

chiefdom

n.

SYN.- CHIEF is applied to the person or thing first in rank, authority, importance, etc., and usually connotes subordination of all others [his chief problem was getting a job ]; PRINCIPAL is applied to the person who directs or controls others [a principal clerk ] or to the thing or person having precedence over all others by reason of size, position, importance, etc. [the principal products of Africa ]; MAIN, in strict usage, is applied to the thing, often part of a system or an extensive whole, that is preeminent in size, power, importance, etc. [the main line of a railroad ]; LEADING stresses capacity for guiding, conducting, or drawing others [a leading light, question, etc. ]; FOREMOST suggests a being first by having moved ahead to that position [the foremost statesman of our time ]; CAPITAL¹ is applied to that which is ranked at the head of its kind or class because of its importance or its special significance [the capital city ] -ANT. SUBORDINATE, SUBSERVIENT