A petty or minor chief; a small-time leader or someone of little importance who acts like a chief.
Formed from 'chief' plus the diminutive suffix '-ling,' which creates nouns meaning 'small,' 'insignificant,' or 'young version of' (like 'duckling,' 'underling,' 'hireling'). This creates a somewhat disparaging term.
The '-ling' suffix is fascinating because it's almost always a bit insulting or condescending—when you call someone a 'chiefling,' you're saying they're pretending to be important but really aren't, which shows how suffixes can carry emotional attitudes.
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