Indian chieftain
1
8.9
- noun
- /ˈɪndiən ˈʧiftən/
- The Indian chieftain led his people with wisdom and courage during difficult times.
Examples
-
Here stood the Indian chieftain, rejoicing in his glory!
Academic text (2018) -
As the Indian chieftain addressed the gathering, everyone listened intently to his words.
-
The bravery of the Indian chieftain was celebrated in many stories passed down through generations.
Synonyms
∞
1.9
A person who leads a group or community
17
7.9
A person who leads a group like a tribe or clan
6
4.2
A leader of a Native American tribe
4
4.7
A person who leads a group of people in a traditional community
3
7.3
A man who leads a village or tribe and makes decisions for the group
1
9.9
A native leader who makes decisions for a village or tribe
1
9.9
A leader of some Native American tribes, especially the Algonquian people
1
8.1
A woman who leads a tribe or clan
How Powerful
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is a straightforward composition: 'Indian' (pertaining to Indigenous American peoples) modifies 'chieftain' (leader of a tribe), so the phrase denotes a tribal leader of Native Americans. This is directly predictable from the constituent meanings and follows a common modifier + noun pattern found across languages. A B1 learner who knows both words should be able to infer the MWE's meaning (noting that 'Indian' can be ambiguous in other contexts, but here is defined as Indigenous).
Etymology
Indian chieftain comes from early European explorers who called the people of the Americas 'Indians' and used chieftain as a word for the head of a tribe. So Indian chieftain means the 'leader' of a Native American group.