Chief
/tʃiːf/
Definitions
2 meaningsThe person who is in charge of a group of people, a department, or an organization.
/tʃiːf/
Head of a group or organization
The fire chief arrived at the scene quickly.
💡 Simply: The chief is the boss or leader of a group. Like the captain of a ship or the head chef in a restaurant.
👶 For kids: The chief is the boss!
More Examples
She's the chief financial officer of a large corporation.
How It's Used
"The chief executive officer announced the merger."
"The chief of the tribe led the ceremony."
Most important; main; principal.
/tʃiːf/
Most important or principal
His chief aim was to finish his book.
💡 Simply: Chief means the most important thing. If something is your chief concern, it's what you worry about the most.
👶 For kids: The most important one!
More Examples
The chief ingredient in this recipe is tomatoes.
How It's Used
"Their chief concern was the safety of their children."
Idioms & expressions
chief among
Most important or prominent among a group.
"Among his many achievements, his work on climate change is chief among them."
From Old English *ċēf, meaning 'head, leader'. Related to the Old High German word *kēf.
The word 'chief' has consistently denoted leadership roles throughout history, evolving from tribal contexts to modern corporate structures.
Memory tip
Think 'chief in command'