Chieff vs. Chief — Which is Correct Spelling?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on March 26, 2024
"Chieff" is an incorrect spelling. The right spelling is "Chief," denoting a leader or head of a group or organization.
Table of Contents
Which is correct: Chieff or Chief
How to spell Chief?
Chieff
Incorrect Spelling
Chief
Correct Spelling
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Key Differences
Associate with "Indian Chief" seen in historical contexts.
Think of "chief" as in "chieftain" without the "tain."
The word "chief" rhymes with "thief" – both end with a single 'f'.
Link the word to "fire chief" – noting the single 'f'.
Recall the phrase "The Chief is brief"; it has only one 'f'.
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How Do You Spell Chief Correctly?
Incorrect: He considers himself the "chieff" executive officer of the company.
Correct: He considers himself the "chief" executive officer of the company.
Incorrect: She accidentally wrote "chieff" instead of "chief" in her email.
Correct: She accidentally wrote "chief" instead of "chief" in her email.
Incorrect: The "chieff" complaint is regarding customer service.
Correct: The "chief" complaint is regarding customer service.
Incorrect: Chieff is at the meeting today.
Correct: Chief is at the meeting today.
Incorrect: I was promoted to head chieff last year.
Correct: I was promoted to head chief last year.
Chief Definitions
The main or primary part of something.
The chief ingredient in the dish is basil.
A leader or ruler of a people or clan
Chief Banawi
The chief of the village
An ordinary consisting of a broad horizontal band across the top of the shield.
Most important
Chief among her concerns is working alone at night
The chief reason for the spending cuts
One who is highest in rank or authority; a leader.
A chief petty officer.
(Nautical) The chief engineer of a ship.
(Slang) A supervisor; a boss.
(Heraldry) The upper section of a shield.
Highest in rank, authority, or office
The chief scientist in the lab.
Most important or influential
The chief ingredients in the stew. See Usage Note at absolute.
A leader or head of a group of people, organisation, etc.
All firefighters report to the fire chief.
(heraldry) The top part of a shield or escutcheon; more specifically, an ordinary consisting of the upper part of the field cut off by a horizontal line, generally occupying the top third.
The principal part or top of anything.
An informal term of address.
An informal term of address for a Native American or First Nations man.
Primary; principal.
Negligence was the chief cause of the disaster.
(Scotland) Intimate, friendly.
To smoke cannabis.
The head or leader of any body of men; a commander, as of an army; a head man, as of a tribe, clan, or family; a person in authority who directs the work of others; the principal actor or agent.
The principal part; the most valuable portion.
The chief of the things which should be utterly destroyed.
The upper third part of the field. It is supposed to be composed of the dexter, sinister, and middle chiefs.
Highest in office or rank; principal; head.
Principal or most eminent in any quality or action; most distinguished; having most influence; taking the lead; most important; as, the chief topic of conversation; the chief interest of man.
Very intimate, near, or close.
A whisperer separateth chief friends.
A person who is in charge;
The head of the whole operation
A person who exercises control over workers;
If you want to leave early you have to ask the foreman
Most important element;
The chief aim of living
The main doors were of solid glass
The principal rivers of America
The principal example
Policemen were primary targets
The leader or head of a group, tribe, or organization.
The chief of the tribe called for a meeting.
Preeminent above all others; principal.
Her chief concern was her family's safety.
Most important or influential.
He was the chief architect of the project.
Denoting the upper part or top of something.
The chief point of the mountain is hard to reach.
Chief Meaning in a Sentence
She is the chief editor of the school newspaper.
He acted as the chief negotiator during the talks.
Our chief concern is the safety of our students.
The fire chief addressed the crowd about fire safety tips.
The chief reason for the delay was bad weather.
The chief executive officer will speak at the conference tomorrow.
Their chief rival in the competition is the team from the next town.
The chief problem with the plan is its cost.
As the village chief, he is responsible for making important decisions.
The chief ingredient in the recipe is flour.
Her chief goal this year is to improve her grades.
The chief scientist led the research team to a breakthrough.
The museum's chief attraction is the dinosaur exhibit.
One of his chief interests is collecting vintage cars.
The chief topic of discussion was community improvement.
The chief objective of the project is to aid those in need.
The play's chief villain is a character named Morlock.
She took on the role of chief organizer for the charity event.
His chief achievement was winning the national championship.
As chief witness, he provided crucial evidence.
The book's chief theme is the struggle for freedom.
The chief advantage of this method is its simplicity.
The chef's chief concern is food quality.
The chief characteristic of a leader is integrity.
His chief ambition is to become an astronaut.
Chief Idioms & Phrases
Chief among equals
The most important or influential person within a group or category, though officially on the same level as the others.
Even though all the partners in the firm are important, she is considered chief among equals due to her exceptional contributions.
Common Curiosities
What is the verb form of Chief?
There isn't a standard verb form of "Chief."
Why is it called Chief?
It originates from the Old French "chief" meaning head or leader.
What is the pronunciation of Chief?
It's pronounced as /ʧif/.
Which vowel is used before Chief?
Typically, the article "a" is used before "Chief."
What is the root word of Chief?
The Old French word "chief" is its root.
Is Chief a negative or positive word?
Neutral, but its connotation can depend on context.
What is the plural form of Chief?
The plural form is "chiefs."
Is Chief an adverb?
No, "Chief" is not an adverb.
What is the singular form of Chief?
"Chief" is already in its singular form.
Which conjunction is used with Chief?
Any conjunction can be used depending on the sentence's context.
Is the word Chief imperative?
No, it's not an imperative verb.
Which preposition is used with Chief?
"Of" is commonly used, as in "chief of staff."
Is Chief a noun or adjective?
"Chief" can be both a noun and an adjective.
Is Chief a vowel or consonant?
"Chief" is a word containing both vowels and consonants.
Is Chief an abstract noun?
No, it's a concrete noun when referring to a specific person.
Is the Chief term a metaphor?
The word itself isn't a metaphor, but can be used metaphorically.
Is the word “Chief” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
As a noun, "Chief" can be used as either a direct or indirect object depending on the sentence.
What is a stressed syllable in Chief?
Since it's one syllable, the entire word is stressed.
What is the first form of Chief?
Chief doesn't have verb forms.
How is Chief used in a sentence?
"The chief decided to hold a community gathering."
Which article is used with Chief?
Both "a" and "the" can be used with "chief."
Is the word Chief a Gerund?
No, it's not a gerund.
What is another term for Chief?
Leader or head.
What is the third form of Chief?
Chief doesn't have verb forms.
Is Chief a countable noun?
Yes, e.g., "There are several chiefs in the federation."
Is Chief a collective noun?
No, it's not a collective noun.
How many syllables are in Chief?
One syllable.
How do we divide Chief into syllables?
Chief is one syllable and cannot be divided further.
What part of speech is Chief?
It can be a noun or an adjective.
What is the opposite of Chief?
Subordinate or underling.
Which determiner is used with Chief?
"This," "that," "a," and "the" can be used, among others.
What is the second form of Chief?
Chief doesn't have verb forms.
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Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
