From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishchieftainchief‧tain /ˈtʃiːftɪn/ noun [countable] PGOLEADERthe leader of a tribe or a Scottish clan
Examples from the Corpus
chieftain• Upon the death of his father, Sigmar became chieftain and began to draw the human tribes together under his leadership.• They strongly urge the assorted presidents, prime ministers and corporate chieftains to come without their staffs and guards.• Arturo Silvio, the modelling agency's Milan chieftain, was bustling across the floor towards her.• The provinces are based upon the ancient tribal homelands whose people were ruled by their own chieftains.• She and her confessor ran away from her incestuous father, a pagan chieftain.• Mile Ilic, the local Socialist chieftain, was fired by Milosevic in the early days of the protests.• At last Achilles called an assembly of the chieftains.Origin chieftain (1200-1300) Old French chevetain, from Late Latin capitaneus; → CAPTAIN1 