chiefly

[ cheef-lee ]
See synonyms for chiefly on Thesaurus.com
adverb
  1. primarily; essentially: He phoned chiefly to let us know he was feeling better.

  2. mainly; mostly: This dish consists chiefly of noodles.

adjective
  1. of, relating to, or like a chief: his chiefly responsibilities.

Origin of chiefly

1
Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; see origin at chief, -ly

synonym study For chiefly

1, 2. See especially.

Words Nearby chiefly

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use chiefly in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for chiefly

chiefly

/ (ˈtʃiːflɪ) /


adverb
  1. especially or essentially; above all

  2. in general; mainly; mostly

adjective
  1. of or relating to a chief or chieftain

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012