chieftain:

(plural: ‘chieftains‘; pronunciation: the letters ‘ch’ rhyme with the letters ‘ch’ in “church”, and the letters ‘tain’ rhyme with the letters ‘ton’ in “badminton” — ‘chief…tn’)

Masai Chieftain, Kenya

 

the leader of a tribe, clan or other group; a tribal or clan chief (previous entry);

a Scottish clan chief,

a Scottish chieftain

e.g.

In some societies a chieftain is elected by the faction of a tribe or clan and in some others a chieftain is given that position because of his birth.

History tells us that between 7th and 8th centuries several Arab chieftains tried to conquer Kashmir in India but had to turn back in defeat.

There have always been conflicts within the tribes and clans in Africa and Arabia and most of the times the chiefs and chieftains are directly responsible for the disputes.

For an article on an unusual chieftain, please click here, and to know the difference between a chief and a chieftain, please click here.
Note: The videos on chieftain you see below and on the right of this text are not totally relevant to the definition of the entry word on this page; they are posted here, however, for the learners to just hear and learn the pronunciation of the word ‘chieftain’. (Note: weblearneng does not own these videos.)

About the Author:BC Kumar

BC Kumar, an English Language Teacher, taught in numerous countries including Ethiopia, Oman and India, shares his knowledge and passion for the English Language. Disclaimer: This is a free educational website and all content has been compiled by the author. All copyrights to images and videos belong to their respective owners.

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