cheveteyn
Middle English edit
Alternative forms edit
- cheventayn, cheventein, chevyteyn, chieftayn, chefteyn, cheftayn, cheveteine, cheveteyne, chiftan, cheftayne
Etymology edit
Borrowed from Old French chevetaine, from Late Latin capitaneus. Doublet of capitain.
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
cheveteyn (plural cheveteynes)
- The leader of a nation or a political division; a high-ranking politician.
- 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.
- And if so happen that the chieftain be taken
- late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Knight's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 2555-2557:
- A head, chief or boss; any sort of person at the top of a hierarchy.
- (rare) A religious head or exemplar.
Descendants edit
References edit
- “chevetain(e, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-09-14.