sachem
13 synonyms for sachem, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The leader of a Native American tribe or group of tribes, particularly among Algonquian peoples.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun
The leader of a Native American tribe or group of tribes, particularly among Algonquian peoples.
“If a sachem was too harsh, a tribesman might leave and join another tribe.”
Etymology
English borrowed sachem from Narragansett sachem; compare Mi'kmaq saqamaw (“chief”) and Unami sakima (“chief”), all of which go back to Proto-Algonquian *sa·kima·wa. The word is a doublet of sagamore.
Full origin of sachem →