chief
 chief (chēf)n.
1. One who is highest in rank or authority; a leader.
2.
a. A chief petty officer.
b. Nautical. The chief engineer of a ship.
3. Slang. A boss.
4. Heraldry. The upper section of a shield.
5. The most important or valuable part.adj.
1. Highest in rank, authority, or office.
2. Most important or influential. See Usage Note at absolute.adv. Archaic
Chiefly. [Middle English chef, from Old French, from Latin caput, head. See kaput- in Indo-European Roots.] chiefʹdom n.chiefʹship' n.
Synonyms: chief, principal, main, leading1, foremost, primary, prime
These adjectives refer to what is first in rank or in importance. Chief applies to a person of the highest authority: a chief magistrate. Used figuratively, chief implies maximum importance or value: her chief joy. Principal applies to someone or something of the first order in power or significance: their principal source of entertainment. Main applies to what exceeds others in extent, size, or importance: the main building on the campus. Leading suggests personal magnetism, a record of achievement, or capacity for influencing others: one of the leading physicians of the city. Foremost emphasizes the sense of having forged ahead of others: the foremost research scientist of the day. Primary stresses first in the sense of origin, sequence, or development: primary school. It can also mean first in the sense of “fundamental”: the primary function of this machine. Prime applies to what is first in comparison with others and to what is of the best quality: a theory of prime significance; a prime Burgundy.
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