chieftain

noun

chief·​tain ˈchēf-tən How to pronounce chieftain (audio)
: a chief especially of a band, tribe, or clan
chieftainship noun

Examples of chieftain in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Corporate chieftains, policymakers, NGO warriors, journalists and intellectuals are heading to the Swiss Alps for the 54th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum. Walter Russell Mead, WSJ, 15 Jan. 2024 Many white genealogy buffs can trace their family trees all the way back to Huguenot rebels or Scottish chieftains. Jennie Rothenberg Gritz, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Dec. 2023 Levine relocated to the West Coast in 1979 at the request of Universal chieftain Lew Wasserman and Herb Steinberg. Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 2 Jan. 2024 Army chieftains claim to have degraded Hamas militarily, but its command structure is believed to be largely intact, and its leader, Yahya Sinwar, is still apparently alive and well in Gaza. Laura King, Los Angeles Times, 14 Dec. 2023 In a Rose Garden announcement, Clinton regaled the crowd by noting Richardson had just returned from a rebel chieftain's hut in Sudan. Chris Kenning, USA TODAY, 4 Sep. 2023 In fact, the line is found in a speech that Tacitus quotes (or invents), delivered by a barbarian chieftain, Calgacus, on the eve of a battle against Roman forces. James Romm, WSJ, 2 Oct. 2023 Karthi essayed the role of chieftain Vallavaraiyan Vandiyadevan. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 17 Sep. 2023 Wagner’s chieftain Yevgeny Prigozhin is possibly somewhere in Belarus now, presumably under some form of lock and key. Time, 26 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'chieftain.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English chieftaine, from Anglo-French chevetain, from Late Latin capitaneus chief — more at captain

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

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

Dictionary Entries Near chieftain

Cite this Entry

“Chieftain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chieftain. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

chieftain

noun
chief·​tain ˈchēf-tən How to pronounce chieftain (audio)
: a chief especially of a band, tribe, or clan
chieftaincy
-sē
noun
chieftainship noun

More from Merriam-Webster on chieftain

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