How to pronounce chieftain
Say it like CHEEF-tun. Chieftain has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (CHEEF).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce chieftain. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- CHEEF
- tun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Chieftain pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- CHEEFSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- tunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of chieftain
American and British speakers say chieftain in essentially the same way: /ˈtʃiftən/ in the US and /ˈtʃiːftən/ in the UK.
British respelling: CHEEF-tun.
What does chieftain mean?
- A leader of a clan or tribe.
- A leader of a group.“The robber chieftain divided up the spoils.”
Where does chieftain come from?
From Middle English cheveteyn, cheftayne, from Old French chevetaine, from Late Latin capitaneus (English captain), from Latin caput (“head”), from Proto-Indo-European *kauput- (English head), itself from Proto-Indo-European *kap-.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying chieftain
How do you pronounce chieftain?
Say CHEEF-tun. The American pronunciation is /ˈtʃiftən/. In British English it is /ˈtʃiːftən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in chieftain?
Chieftain has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (CHEEF). Broken into parts: CHEEF · tun.
Do Americans and Brits say chieftain the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈtʃiftən/ and the British form is /ˈtʃiːftən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.