chieftain Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun the leader of a group of people
    captain.
    • a captain of industry
  2. noun the head of a tribe or clan
    chief; headman; tribal chief.

WordNet

Chief"tain noun
Etymology
OE. cheftayn, chevetayn, OF. chevetain, F. capitaine, LL. capitanus, fr. L. caput head. Cf. Captain, and see chief.
Definitions
  1. A captain, leader, or commander; a chief; the head of a troop, army, or clan. Syn. -- Chief; commander; leader; head. See Chief.

Webster 1913