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
Adjective
Cameron Adams, Canva cofounder and chief product officer, didn’t know anyone at creative design software provider Affinity. Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2024 Ian Borden, McDonald’s chief financial officer, said earlier this month that some lower-income Americans are opting to cook at home instead of dining at its restaurants. Ramishah Maruf, CNN, 26 Mar. 2024 Brian Bourke, global chief commercial officer for SEKO Logistics in Chicago, said the bridge collapse also will complicate the shipment of hazardous materials through the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic region. David J. Lynch, Washington Post, 26 Mar. 2024 Reached by phone Monday, Scott Cordes, the company’s chief operating officer, said his role as receiver is to help find solutions for all parties involved as the court process plays out. Bill Lukitsch, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2024 Jackson was the chief White House correspondent during the Trump administration and was constantly one of the highest profile reporters during the 2016 presidential campaign. Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 25 Mar. 2024 Duggan praised Detroit's chief financial officers from the last decade, budget directors, City Council and city departments that managed with financial constraints. Detroit Free Press, 25 Mar. 2024 Joining us now is chief election and campaign correspondent Robert Costa. CBS News, 24 Mar. 2024 San Diego County first requested reimbursement on Sept. 3, 2021, according to the letter from Robbins-Meyer, the former chief administrative officer. Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Mar. 2024
Noun
Stu Bergen, a 14-year veteran of Warner Music and longtime CEO of the label group’s international and global services division, has stepped in to serve as interim CEO until a new chief is found. Marc Schneider, Billboard, 15 Mar. 2024 Absentees There are four players who are eligible to play but won’t feature – chief among them, Tiger Woods. Jack Bantock, CNN, 14 Mar. 2024 A number of factors have contributed to the years-long, league-wide scoring boom, chief among them the 3-point revolution started by Curry and the Warriors themselves. Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 12 Mar. 2024 The 38-minute recording captured Germany’s air force chief and three other officers deliberating the theoretical supply of long-range Taurus missiles to Kyiv. Kate Brady, Washington Post, 3 Mar. 2024 In: Elon Musk Boeing Space NASA SpaceX William Harwood Bill Harwood has been covering the U.S. space program full-time since 1984, first as Cape Canaveral bureau chief for United Press International and now as a consultant for CBS News. William Harwood, CBS News, 3 Mar. 2024 Two of them related to the police chief’s communication with others and one reprimanded Burns for hiring an attorney in connection with another officer’s EEOC complaint without the approval of the city council. Nicole Lopez, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Mar. 2024 The former Israeli military chief's visit threatens to worsen his relations with political rival Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Emma Bowman, NPR, 2 Mar. 2024 Other Wall Street majors, including Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, also announced pay bumps for their chiefs in the last few weeks following an increase in banking profits. Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 21 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'chief.' 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

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 29 Mar. 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

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