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Indian chief

Indian chief

3 4.2
A leader of a Native American tribe
  • noun
  • /ˈɪndiən tʃiːf/
translation icon : jefe indio
  • Manteo was a Croatan Indian chief who befriended the English explorers who landed at Roanoke Island in 1584.

It tells how New England's white settlers eradicated the Indian chief known as King Philip and the tribes he led.

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Examples

  • And one of the Indian chiefs who had been involved was elderly at that point, near death.

  • There was the tale of the Maumee Indian chief he had met and whose life he had saved.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • A real Indian chief made it.

  • The old Indian chiefs are coming home.

  • For as long as anyone could remember... this Indian chief was in charge... of naming all the children that were born in the tribe.

  • Columbus sees the Indian chief approaching.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • The ornate dining table was set for a sumptuous holiday meal fit for a king or an Indian chief.

    Blog text (12)
  • It tells how New England's white settlers eradicated the Indian chief known as King Philip and the tribes he led.

  • The Indian chief led his tribe in traditional ceremonies every year.

  • The wise Indian chief was respected for his knowledge of the land.

Synonyms

chief
vsIndian chief
1.9

A person who leads a group or community

applies specifically to leaders of Native American groups rather than any leader
chieftain
vsIndian chief
20 7.9

A person who leads a group like a tribe or clan

is more specific to Native American leadership in historical contexts
tribal chief
vsIndian chief
3 4.7

A person who leads a group of people in a traditional community

is used mainly for leaders of Native American groups historically
headman
vsIndian chief
2 7.3

A man who leads a village or tribe and makes decisions for the group

is gender neutral and specific to Native American leadership historically
sachem
vsIndian chief
  • US
1 9.9

A leader of some Native American tribes, especially the Algonquian people

refers more broadly to leaders of Native American groups
cacique
vsIndian chief
1 9.9

A native leader who makes decisions for a village or tribe

applies specifically to leaders of Native American groups in other regions
headwoman
vsIndian chief
1 8.1

A woman who leads a tribe or clan

is used more generally for leaders of Native American groups historically
Indian chieftain
vsIndian chief
8.9

A leader of a Native American tribe who guides the people

has identical meaning but uses alternative phrasing

How Powerful

Indian chief
3 4.2
chief
1.9
leader
1.0

Surface Forms

Indian chief singular
Indian chiefs plural

Morphology

Indian + chief

The meaning 'the leader of a group or tribe of Native Americans' is directly derivable from combining 'Indian' (pertaining to indigenous American peoples) with 'chief' (a leader). This adjectival + noun composition follows a straightforward, cross-linguistic pattern (X chief = leader of X), so a B1 learner who knows the constituents should understand it.

Etymology

The compound Indian chief comes from early European explorers who thought they had reached India and so called the local people Indian, and the head person was called a chief. So Indian chief came to mean the 'leader' of a Native American 'tribe'.