chieftain

English

/ˈtʃiːf.tən/

noun
Definitions
  • A leader of a clan or tribe.
  • (by extension) A leader of a group.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English cheveteyn borrowed from Old French chevetaine derived from Latin capitaneus, caput (head, etc, source) derived from Proto-Indo-European *kauput-.

Origin

Proto-Indo-European

*kauput-

Gloss

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms