Chiefly
/ˈtʃiːfli/
adverbBeginnerCommonGeneral
Meaning
Question
Definitions
1
Primarily; mainly; most importantly.
/ˈtʃiːfli/
adverbneutralBeginner
General
Primarily; mainly; for the most part.
He was chiefly responsible for the project's success.
💡 Simply: It's like saying 'mostly' or 'mainly'. For example, 'My lunch was chiefly sandwiches' means I ate mostly sandwiches.
👶 For kids: Mostly or mainly.
More Examples
2
The team's success was chiefly due to their hard work.
How It's Used
General
"The meeting was chiefly concerned with budget issues."
From Middle English *chefliche, from chef, chief + -liche.
The word has maintained a relatively consistent meaning throughout its history.
Memory tip
Think of a 'chief' being the main person, so 'chiefly' means mainly.
Practice
chiefleychieflye
Usage
20%Spoken
80%Written