chiefess en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /tʃiːˈfɛs/ (UK)
Etymology
From chief + -ess. Piecewise doublet of chefess.
Meanings
-
(Hawaii) Synonym of chieftainess, a female chief.
Although Lili‘u was born a high chiefess, with lineage that reached back to the high chiefs under Kamehameha the Great, at the time of her birth it would never have seemed possible that she would someday become queen.
2012, Julia Flynn Siler, Lost Kingdom, Grove Press, page 7:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| chiefesses | Number=Plur | lexicographic |