cheftaine

• IPA^(key): /ʃɛf.tɛn/

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First attested in the beginning of the 1900's; from English chieftain, it being feminine probably influenced by the analogy with pairs such as châtelain / châtelaine and the pronunciation of its English etymon.

cheftaine f (plural cheftaines)

1. a woman in charge of a troop of young scouts (Scouting)

   Coordinate term: chef

2. (by extension) a woman in charge of a group of people, assembly

From Old French chevetain, chevetaine, cheftain, chevetaigne. Doublet of capitaine and cheftain.

cheftaine m (plural cheftaines)

1. (obsolete) captain, chieftain

• “cheftaine”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.