chief
(chēf)
[Middle English chef, from Old French, from Latin caput, head.]
noun
- One who is highest in rank or authority; a leader.
- A chief petty officer.
- Nautical The chief engineer of a ship.
- Slang A boss.
- Heraldry The upper section of a shield.
- The most important or valuable part.
adjective
- Highest in rank, authority, or office.
- Most important or influential. See Usage Note at: absolute
adverb
Archaic- Chiefly.
derivatives
- chief́dom
- noun
- chief́shiṕ
- noun
synonyms:
chief, principal, main, leading1foremost, primary, prime These adjectives refer to what is first in rank or in importance. Chief applies to a person of the highest authority: a chief magistrate. Used figuratively, chief implies maximum importance or value: her chief joy. Principal applies to someone or something of the first order in power or significance: their principal source of entertainment. Main applies to what exceeds others in extent, size, or importance: the main building on the campus. Leading suggests personal magnetism, a record of achievement, or capacity for influencing others: one of the leading physicians of the city. Foremost emphasizes the sense of having forged ahead of others: the foremost research scientist of the day. Primary stresses first in the sense of origin, sequence, or development: primary school. It can also mean first in the sense of “fundamental”: the primary function of this machine. Prime applies to what is first in comparison with others and to what is of the best quality: a theory of prime significance; a prime Burgundy.
