The leader of a tribe, clan, or other group, especially in traditional or indigenous societies.
From Old French 'chief' (head, leader), from Latin 'caput' (head). The suffix '-tain' comes from Latin '-tanus,' making it literally mean 'a person who is chief.'
Interestingly, English added the suffix '-tain' (from French) to 'chief' to create 'chieftain,' even though 'chief' already meant a leader—it's like adding 'leader-ly' when 'leader' would work fine, but it sounded more official.
Historically male-exclusive leadership term, both descriptively (women rarely held chieftain rank) and linguistically (implies masculine authority). Modern usage still defaults masculine.
Use 'leader,' 'chief,' or 'head' if gender is unknown. 'Chieftain' is acceptable for historical/cultural contexts where it's accurate to the source.
["leader","chief","head","commander"]
Many societies had female leaders and war chiefs (e.g., Iceni Queen Boudicca, Dahomey's Nzinga). Language like 'chieftain' erased their authority; use gender-neutral terms to restore visibility.
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