chief
/ˈtʃif/
nounadjective
Core
1.n.a person who is in charge
“the head of the whole operation”
2.n.a person who exercises control over workers
“if you want to leave early you have to ask the foreman”
3.n.the head of a tribe or clan
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chief and foreman share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. chief means “a person who is in charge”. foreman means “a person who exercises control over workers”. chief is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈtʃif/
1.n.a person who is in charge
“the head of the whole operation”
2.n.a person who exercises control over workers
“if you want to leave early you have to ask the foreman”
3.n.the head of a tribe or clan
/ˈfɔɹmən/
1.n.a person who exercises control over workers
“if you want to leave early you have to ask the foreman”
2.n.a man who is foreperson of a jury
| chief | foreman | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈtʃif/ | /ˈfɔɹmən/ |
| Said | cheef | FAWR-muhn |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Letters | 5 | 7 |
| Parts of speech | noun, adjective | noun |
| Senses | 4 | 2 |
| How common | Core | Common |
| Synonyms | head, top dog | chief, gaffer, honcho |
Full entry for chief · Full entry for foreman · More comparisons