chiefly

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈtʃifli/ UK /ˈtʃiːfli/ See IPA manual

adv

Meanings

1

adv
mainly; for the most part

The region is chiefly known for its vineyards.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adv · mainly; for the most part mainly principally primarily mostly largely predominantly especially

Opposites

partly incidentally marginally

Word family

Related forms chief chieftain

Etymology

From chief + -ly. Chief is from Old French chief ('head, leader'), from Latin caput ('head').

chief Old French caput Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives Register & Style

# chiefly

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adv
**IPA (US):** ˈtʃifli
**IPA (UK):** ˈtʃiːfli

## Meanings
1. mainly; for the most part

## Examples
- The region is chiefly known for its vineyards.

## Synonyms
- mainly
- principally
- primarily
- mostly
- largely
- predominantly
- especially

## Antonyms
- partly
- incidentally
- marginally

## Related Forms
- chief
- chieftain

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: chief
- Root: caput

## Etymology
From chief + -ly. Chief is from Old French chief ('head, leader'), from Latin caput ('head').

## AI Etymology
Chiefly is from chief + -ly. Chief is from Old French chief ('head, leader'), from Latin caput ('head'). Important recorded forms include chief (Old French) and caput (Latin). Morphologically, the word is a built form whose named elements carry part of the historical sense. The current sense covers mainly; for the most part. The wider family includes related words such as chief and chieftain.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives
- Register & Style

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chiefly

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