chieftain

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Etymology

From Middle English cheveteyn, cheftayne, from Old French chevetaine, from Late Latin capitaneus (English captain), from Latin caput, from Proto-Indo-European *kauput- (English head), itself from Proto-Indo-European *kap-.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈt͡ʃiːf.tən/, /ˈt͡ʃiːf.tɪn/

Noun

chieftain (plural chieftains)

1. A leader of a clan or tribe.
2. (by extension) A leader of a group.

   The robber chieftain divided up the spoils.

Synonyms

• (leader of a clan or tribe) chief, big gun, big shot, big wheel, bigwig, boss, employer, foreman, head, leader, mandarin, manager, mover and shaker, top banana, top dog, tycoon

Translations

• German: Häuptling
• Italian: capo, capotribù
• Portuguese: cacique, morubixaba, tuxaua (of Indigenous Brazilians), chefe
• Russian: вождь
• Spanish: cacique, caudillo, jefe, jeque, cabecilla

Translations

• Italian: capo
• Portuguese: manda-chuva, chefe
• Russian: глава́рь
• Spanish: líder, jefe

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