cheveteyn

Middle English

Alternative forms

• cheventayn, cheventein, chevyteyn, chieftayn, chefteyn, cheftayn, cheveteine, cheveteyne, chiftan, cheftayne

Etymology

Borrowed from Old French chevetaine, from Late Latin capitaneus. Doublet of capitain.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌt͡ʃeːvəˈtæi̯n(ə)/, /ˈt͡ʃeːvətin(ə)/, /t͡ʃeːfˈtæi̯n(ə)/, /ˈt͡ʃeːftin(ə)/

Noun

cheveteyn (plural cheveteynes)

1. The leader of a nation or a political division; a high-ranking politician.
2. The head of a military grouping; a general or marshal.
   • late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Knight's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 2555-2557:

     And if so falle, the chieftayn be take
     On either syde, or elles slee his make,
     No lenger shal the turneyinge laste.

     And if so happen that the chieftain be taken
     On either side, or else should slay his opponent,
     The tournament shall last no longer.

3. A head, chief or boss; any sort of person at the top of a hierarchy.
4. (rare) A religious head or exemplar.

Descendants

• English: chieftain
• Scots: chieftain

References

• “chevetain(e, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-09-14.