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Definition of chief adjective from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

chief

adjective
 
 
/tʃiːf/
 
/tʃiːf/
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  1.  
     [only before noun] most important
    • the chief cause/problem/reason
    • He became the chief architect of the Treaty of Paris.
    • She cites the economy as her chief concern.
    • one of the President’s chief rivals
    • somebody's chief enemy/opponent
    • chief among somebody/something Chief among his challenges is the impact that current reforms could have on small businesses.
    Synonyms mainmainmajor ▪ key ▪ central ▪ principal ▪ chief ▪ primeThese words all describe somebody/​something that is the largest or most important of its kind.main [only before noun] largest or most important:
    • Be careful crossing the main road.
    • The main thing is to remain calm.
    major [usually before noun] very large or important:
    • He played a major role in setting up the system.
    When major is used with the or my/​your/​his/​her/​our/​their it means ‘the largest or most important’: Our major concern here is combating poverty. In this meaning it is only used to talk about ideas or worries that people have, not physical things, and it is also more formal than main: Be careful crossing the major road. • The major thing is to remain calm.     key [usually before noun] most important; essential:
    • He was a key figure in the campaign.
    Key is used most frequently in business and political contexts. It can be used to talk about ideas, or the part that somebody plays in a situation, but not physical things. It is slightly more informal than major, especially when used after a noun and linking verb: Speed is key at this point.     central (rather formal) most important:
    • The central issue is that of widespread racism.
    Central is used in a similar way to key, but is more formal. It is most frequently used in the phrase something is central to something else.     principal [only before noun] (rather formal) most important:
    • The principal reason for this omission is lack of time.
    Principal is mostly used for statements of fact about which there can be no argument. To state an opinion, or to try to persuade somebody of the facts as you see them, it is more usual to use key or central: The key/​central issue here is…     chief [only before noun] (rather formal) most important:
    • Unemployment was the chief cause of poverty.
    prime [only before noun] (rather formal) most important; to be considered first:
    • My prime concern is to protect my property.
    Patterns
    • a/​the main/​major/​key/​central/​principal/​chief/​prime aim/​concern
    • a/​the main/​major/​principal road/​town/​city
    • the main/​key thing is to…
    • to be of major/​key/​central/​prime importance
    More Like This Adjectives that only come before a nounAdjectives that only come before a noun
    Extra Examples
    • Her chief rival for the gold medal is Jones of the USA.
    • The lion is the zebra's chief enemy.
    • Their chief preoccupation was how to feed their families.
    • Unemployment was the chief cause of poverty.
    • the chief exponent of something
    • the chief suspect in the case
    • the chief guest at the function
    • Chief among the government's opponents were the bureaucrats, the military and the monarchy.
  2.  
    (often Chief)
    [only before noun] highest in rank
    • the chief economist at the World Bank
    • She is Chief Medical Officer for England.
    • the chief minister/secretary
    • the chief Washington correspondent for CBS News
    • the chief negotiator/adviser/strategist/spokesman
    • He became chief engineer of the Great Western Railway.
    • Who is the new Chief Education Officer?
    • Detective Chief Inspector Williams
  3. -in-chief
     (in nouns) of the highest rank
    • commander-in-chief
    see also chiefly, editor-in-chief
    4. Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French chief, chef, based on Latin caput ‘head’.
See chief in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee chief in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
Check pronunciation: chief

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given
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