# chieftain

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈt͡ʃiːf.tən/ · frequency rank #33,564

## Definitions
1. A leader of a clan or tribe.
2. A leader of a group.

## Etymology
From Middle English cheveteyn, cheftayne, from Old French chevetaine, from Late Latin capitaneus (English captain), from Latin caput (“head”), from Proto-Indo-European *kauput- (English head), itself from Proto-Indo-European *kap-. Doublet of captain; related to chief.

## Common misspellings (13)
`cchieftain`, `cheiftain`, `chhieftain`, `chiefatin`, `chiefftain`, `chieftainn`, `chieftani`, `chieftian`, `chiefttain`, `chietfain`, `chifetain`, `ciheftain`, `hcieftain`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/chieftain