Difference Wiki

Chief vs. Head: What's the Difference?

Edited by Harlon Moss || By Janet White || Updated on September 21, 2023
"Chief" primarily denotes the top leader or the main individual in a category, while "Head" refers to the foremost part or leader of a group.

Key Differences

The term Chief usually signifies the principal or most important person in an organization or category. In contrast, Head can denote both the foremost part of something and the leader of a group or division.
While Chief is generally reserved for titles signifying high levels of responsibility, like Chief Executive Officer, Head is versatile and can be used in various contexts such as the head of a department or the head of a river.
An organization might have many Heads for different departments, like the head of marketing or the head of finance, but it will typically have one Chief executive overseeing all operations.
In certain contexts, both Chief and Head can be used interchangeably, such as when referring to the leader of a group. For instance, the Chief of a tribe is its leader, much like the Head of a committee.
It's also worth noting that while Chief is more often associated with roles and titles, Head has broader usage, including referencing the top or front part of physical objects or entities.
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Comparison Chart

Definition

The principal or most important
Foremost part or leader

Part of Speech

Noun (can also be an adjective)
Noun (can also be a verb)

Usage Context

Leadership roles, titles
Leadership, top or front part of something

Grammatical Function

Describes primary importance or leadership
Describes foremost position or leadership

Associated Ideas

Authority, paramount
Top, leader, front
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Chief and Head Definitions

Chief

The top-ranking person in an organization.
The Chief of the police department addressed the press.

Head

The top or front part of something.
He scratched his Head in confusion.

Chief

The leader or head of a group, especially in native tribes.
The tribal Chief made the final decision.

Head

The person in charge of a group or organization.
She was appointed the Head of the department.

Chief

Predominant or principal.
The Chief ingredient in the dish is garlic.

Head

The source or origin of a river or stream.
We hiked to the Head of the river.

Chief

Foremost in rank or importance.
She was the Chief architect of the project.

Head

To move in a specific direction.
We decided to Head home after the movie.

Chief

The main or most important.
His Chief concern was the safety of his family.

Head

The uppermost or forwardmost part of the body of a vertebrate, containing the brain and the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and jaws.

Chief

One who is highest in rank or authority; a leader.

Head

The analogous part of an invertebrate organism.

Chief

A chief petty officer.

Head

The length or height of such a part
The horse lost by a head. She is two heads taller than he is.

Chief

(Nautical) The chief engineer of a ship.

Head

The seat of the faculty of reason; intelligence, intellect, or mind
I did the figuring in my head.

Chief

(Slang) A supervisor; a boss.

Head

Mental ability or aptitude
She has a good head for mathematics.

Chief

(Heraldry) The upper section of a shield.

Head

Freedom of choice or action
Give the child his head and see how well he solves the problems.

Chief

Highest in rank, authority, or office
The chief scientist in the lab.

Head

A habitual drug user. Often used in combination
A dopehead.

Chief

Most important or influential
The chief ingredients in the stew. See Usage Note at absolute.

Head

An enthusiast. Often used in combination
A chilihead.

Chief

A leader or head of a group of people, organisation, etc.
All firefighters report to the fire chief.

Head

A person considered foolish or contemptible. Often used in combination
A chowderhead.

Chief

(heraldry) The top part of a shield or escutcheon; more specifically, an ordinary consisting of the upper part of the field cut off by a horizontal line, generally occupying the top third.

Head

A portrait or representation of a person's head.

Chief

The principal part or top of anything.

Head

Often heads (used with a sing. verb) The side of a coin having the principal design, often the profile of a political leader's head.

Chief

An informal term of address.

Head

(Informal) A headache
Had a bad head early this morning.

Chief

An informal term of address for a Native American or First Nations man.

Head

An individual; a person
Charged five dollars a head.

Chief

Primary; principal.
Negligence was the chief cause of the disaster.

Head

Pl. head A single animal
20 head of cattle.

Chief

(Scotland) Intimate, friendly.

Head

A person who leads, rules, or is in charge; a leader, chief, or director
The head of the corporation.

Chief

To smoke cannabis.

Head

A headmaster or headmistress.

Chief

The head or leader of any body of men; a commander, as of an army; a head man, as of a tribe, clan, or family; a person in authority who directs the work of others; the principal actor or agent.

Head

The foremost or leading position
Marched at the head of the parade.

Chief

The principal part; the most valuable portion.
The chief of the things which should be utterly destroyed.

Head

A headwaiter.

Chief

The upper third part of the field. It is supposed to be composed of the dexter, sinister, and middle chiefs.

Head

The difference in depth of a liquid at two given points.

Chief

Highest in office or rank; principal; head.

Head

The measure of pressure at the lower point expressed in terms of this difference.

Chief

Principal or most eminent in any quality or action; most distinguished; having most influence; taking the lead; most important; as, the chief topic of conversation; the chief interest of man.

Head

The pressure exerted by a liquid or gas
A head of steam.

Chief

Very intimate, near, or close.
A whisperer separateth chief friends.

Head

The liquid or gas exerting the pressure.

Chief

A person who is in charge;
The head of the whole operation

Head

The froth or foam that rises to the top in pouring an effervescent liquid, such as beer.

Chief

A person who exercises control over workers;
If you want to leave early you have to ask the foreman

Head

The tip of an abscess, boil, or pimple, in which pus forms.

Chief

Most important element;
The chief aim of living
The main doors were of solid glass
The principal rivers of America
The principal example
Policemen were primary targets

Head

A turning point; a crisis
Bring matters to a head.

Head

A projection, weight, or fixture at the end of an elongated object
The head of a pin.
A head of land overlooking the harbor.

Head

The working end of a tool or implement
The head of a hammer.

Head

The looped part at the end a lacrosse stick, to which the webbing is attached.

Head

The part of an explosive device that carries the explosive; a warhead.

Head

The part of a stringed instrument where the strings are wound; a tuning head.

Head

A tuning machine.

Head

The rounded proximal end of a long bone
The head of the femur.

Head

The end of a muscle that is attached to the less movable part of the skeleton.

Head

An attachment to or part of a machine that holds or contains the operative device.

Head

The magnetic head of a tape recorder or VCR.

Head

The device in a magnetic disk or tape drive that enables it to read data from and write data to the disk or tape.

Head

A rounded compact mass, as of leaves or buds
A head of cabbage.

Head

(Botany) A flower head.

Head

The uppermost part; the top
Place the appropriate name at the head of each column.

Head

The end considered the most important
Sat at the head of the table.

Head

Either end of an object, such as a drum, whose two ends are interchangeable.

Head

The forward part of a vessel.

Head

The top part or upper edge of a sail.

Head

A toilet, especially on a ship.

Head

A passage or gallery in a coal mine.

Head

The top of a book or page.

Head

A headline or heading.

Head

A distinct topic or category
Under the head of recent Spanish history.

Head

Headway; progress.

Head

(Linguistics) The word determining the grammatical category of a constituent, often establishing relations of concord or agreement (such as subject-verb agreement) with other constituents.

Head

Vulgar Slang Oral sex.

Head

Of, relating to, or intended for the head. Often used in combination
Headshaking.
Headwrap.

Head

Foremost in rank or importance
The head librarian.

Head

Placed at the top or the front
The head name on the list.

Head

(Slang) Of, relating to, or for drugs or drug users.

Head

To be in charge of; lead
The minister headed the committee.

Head

To be in the first or foremost position of
Collins heads the list of job candidates.

Head

To aim, point, or turn in a certain direction
Headed the team of horses up the hill.

Head

To remove the head or top of.

Head

(Sports) To hit (a soccer ball) in the air with one's head.

Head

To provide with a head
Head each column with a number.
Headed the flagpole with a golden ball.

Head

To proceed or go in a certain direction
Head for town.

Head

To form a head, as lettuce or cabbage.

Head

To originate, as a stream or river; rise.

Head

(countable) The part of the body of an animal or human which contains the brain, mouth, and main sense organs.
Be careful when you pet that dog on the head; it may bite.

Head

(people) To do with heads.

Head

(animals) To do with heads.

Head

(countable) The topmost, foremost, or leading part.
What does it say at the head of the page?

Head

The end of a table.

Head

(countable) The principal operative part of a machine or tool.

Head

The foam that forms on top of beer or other carbonated beverages.
Pour me a fresh beer; this one has no head.
He never learned how to pour a glass of beer so it didn't have too much head.

Head

(engineering) The end cap of a cylindrically-shaped pressure vessel.

Head

(coopering) The end cap of a cask or other barrel.

Head

(geology) The uppermost part of a valley.

Head

Deposits near the top of a geological succession.

Head

(journalism) headline

Head

(medicine) The end of an abscess where pus collects.

Head

(music) The headstock of a guitar.

Head

(nautical) A leading component.

Head

(British) A headland.

Head

A leader or expert.

Head

The place of honour, or of command; the most important or foremost position; the front.

Head

(metonymy) Leader; chief; mastermind.
I'd like to speak to the head of the department.
Police arrested the head of the gang in a raid last night.

Head

(metonymy) A headmaster or headmistress.
I was called into the head's office to discuss my behaviour.

Head

A person with an extensive knowledge of hip hop.
Only true heads know this.

Head

A significant or important part.

Head

A beginning or end, a protuberance.

Head

A component.

Head

Headway; progress.
We are having a difficult time making head against this wind.

Head

Topic; subject.
We will consider performance issues under the head of future improvements.

Head

Denouement; crisis.
These isses are going to come to a head today.

Head

(fluid dynamics) Pressure and energy.

Head

A buildup of fluid pressure, often quantified as pressure head.
Let the engine build up a good head of steam.
How much head do you have at the Glens Falls feeder dam?

Head

The difference in elevation between two points in a column of fluid, and the resulting pressure of the fluid at the lower point.

Head

More generally, energy in a mass of fluid divided by its weight.

Head

Fellatio or cunnilingus; oral sex.
She gave great head.

Head

(slang) The glans penis.

Head

A heavy or habitual user of illicit drugs.

Head

(obsolete) Power; armed force.

Head

Of, relating to, or intended for the head.

Head

Foremost in rank or importance.
The head cook

Head

Placed at the top or the front.

Head

Coming from in front.
Head sea
Head wind

Head

(transitive) To be in command of. (See also head up.)
Who heads the board of trustees?
To head an army, an expedition, or a riot

Head

(transitive) To come at the beginning or front of; to commence.
A group of clowns headed the procession.
The most important items headed the list.

Head

(transitive) To strike with the head; as in soccer, to head the ball

Head

(intransitive) To move in a specified direction.
We are going to head up North for our holiday.
We will head off tomorrow.
Next holiday we will head out West, or head to Chicago.
Right now I need to head into town to do some shopping.
I'm fed up working for a boss. I'm going to head out on my own, set up my own business.
Where does the train head to?

Head

(fishing) To remove the head from a fish.
The salmon are first headed and then scaled.

Head

(intransitive) To originate; to spring; to have its course, as a river.

Head

(intransitive) To form a head.
This kind of cabbage heads early.

Head

(transitive) To form a head to; to fit or furnish with a head.
To head a nail

Head

(transitive) To cut off the top of; to lop off.
To head trees

Head

To behead; to decapitate.

Head

To go in front of.
To head a drove of cattle
To head a person

Head

To get in the front of, so as to hinder or stop; to oppose.
The wind headed the ship and made progress difficult.

Head

(by extension) To check or restrain.

Head

To set on the head.
To head a cask

Head

The anterior or superior part of an animal, containing the brain, or chief ganglia of the nervous system, the mouth, and in the higher animals, the chief sensory organs; poll; cephalon.

Head

The uppermost, foremost, or most important part of an inanimate object; such a part as may be considered to resemble the head of an animal; often, also, the larger, thicker, or heavier part or extremity, in distinction from the smaller or thinner part, or from the point or edge; as, the head of a cane, a nail, a spear, an ax, a mast, a sail, a ship; that which covers and closes the top or the end of a hollow vessel; as, the head of a cask or a steam boiler.

Head

The place where the head should go; as, the head of a bed, of a grave, etc.; the head of a carriage, that is, the hood which covers the head.

Head

The most prominent or important member of any organized body; the chief; the leader; as, the head of a college, a school, a church, a state, and the like.
The heads of the chief sects of philosophy.
Your head I him appoint.

Head

The place or honor, or of command; the most important or foremost position; the front; as, the head of the table; the head of a column of soldiers.
An army of fourscore thousand troops, with the duke of Marlborough at the head of them.

Head

Each one among many; an individual; - often used in a plural sense; as, a thousand head of cattle.
It there be six millions of people, there are about four acres for every head.

Head

The seat of the intellect; the brain; the understanding; the mental faculties; as, a good head, that is, a good mind; it never entered his head, it did not occur to him; of his own head, of his own thought or will.
Men who had lost both head and heart.

Head

The source, fountain, spring, or beginning, as of a stream or river; as, the head of the Nile; hence, the altitude of the source, or the height of the surface, as of water, above a given place, as above an orifice at which it issues, and the pressure resulting from the height or from motion; sometimes also, the quantity in reserve; as, a mill or reservoir has a good head of water, or ten feet head; also, that part of a gulf or bay most remote from the outlet or the sea.

Head

A headland; a promontory; as, Gay Head.

Head

A separate part, or topic, of a discourse; a theme to be expanded; a subdivision; as, the heads of a sermon.

Head

Culminating point or crisis; hence, strength; force; height.
Ere foul sin, gathering head, shall break into corruption.
The indisposition which has long hung upon me, is at last grown to such a head, that it must quickly make an end of me or of itself.

Head

Power; armed force.
My lord, my lord, the French have gathered head.

Head

A headdress; a covering of the head; as, a laced head; a head of hair.

Head

An ear of wheat, barley, or of one of the other small cereals.

Head

A dense cluster of flowers, as in clover, daisies, thistles; a capitulum.

Head

The antlers of a deer.

Head

A rounded mass of foam which rises on a pot of beer or other effervescing liquor.

Head

Tiles laid at the eaves of a house.

Head

Principal; chief; leading; first; as, the head master of a school; the head man of a tribe; a head chorister; a head cook.

Head

To be at the head of; to put one's self at the head of; to lead; to direct; to act as leader to; as, to head an army, an expedition, or a riot.

Head

To form a head to; to fit or furnish with a head; as, to head a nail.

Head

To behead; to decapitate.

Head

To cut off the top of; to lop off; as, to head trees.

Head

To go in front of; to get in the front of, so as to hinder or stop; to oppose; hence, to check or restrain; as, to head a drove of cattle; to head a person; the wind heads a ship.

Head

To set on the head; as, to head a cask.

Head

To originate; to spring; to have its source, as a river.
A broad river, that heads in the great Blue Ridge.

Head

To go or point in a certain direction; to tend; as, how does the ship head?

Head

To form a head; as, this kind of cabbage heads early.

Head

The upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains;
He stuck his head out the window

Head

A single domestic animal;
200 head of cattle

Head

That which is responsible for one's thoughts and feelings; the seat of the faculty of reason;
His mind wandered
I couldn't get his words out of my head

Head

A person who is in charge;
The head of the whole operation

Head

The front of a military formation or procession;
The head of the column advanced boldly
They were at the head of the attack

Head

The pressure exerted by a fluid;
A head of steam

Head

The top of something;
The head of the stairs
The head of the page
The head of the list

Head

The source of water from which a stream arises;
They tracked him back toward the head of the stream

Head

(grammar) the word in a grammatical constituent that plays the same grammatical role as the whole constituent

Head

The tip of an abscess (where the pus accumulates)

Head

The length or height based on the size of a human or animal head;
He is two heads taller than his little sister
His horse won by a head

Head

A dense clusters of flowers or foliage;
A head of cauliflower
A head of lettuce

Head

The educator who has executive authority for a school;
She sent unruly pupils to see the principal

Head

An individual person;
Tickets are $5 per head

Head

A user of (usually soft) drugs;
The office was full of secret heads

Head

A rounded compact mass;
The head of a comet

Head

The foam or froth that accumulates at the top when you pour an effervescent liquid into a container;
The beer had a large head of foam

Head

The part in the front or nearest the viewer;
He was in the forefront
He was at the head of the column

Head

A difficult juncture;
A pretty pass
Matters came to a head yesterday

Head

Forward movement;
The ship made little headway against the gale

Head

A V-shaped mark at one end of an arrow pointer;
The point of the arrow was due north

Head

The subject matter at issue;
The question of disease merits serious discussion
Under the head of minor Roman poets

Head

A line of text serving to indicate what the passage below it is about;
The heading seemed to have little to do with the text

Head

The rounded end of a bone that bits into a rounded cavity in another bone to form a joint;
The head of the humerus

Head

That part of a skeletal muscle that is away from the bone that it moves

Head

(computer science) a tiny electromagnetic coil and metal pole used to write and read magnetic patterns on a disk

Head

(usually plural) an obverse side of a coin that bears the representation of a person's head;
Call heads or tails!

Head

The striking part of a tool;
The head of the hammer

Head

(nautical) a toilet on board a boat or ship

Head

A projection out from one end;
The head of the nail
A pinhead is the head of a pin

Head

A membrane that is stretched taut over a drum

Head

Oral-genital stimulation;
They say he gives good head

Head

To go or travel towards;
Where is she heading
We were headed for the mountains

Head

Be in charge of;
Who is heading this project?

Head

Travel in front of; go in advance of others;
The procession was headed by John

Head

Be the first or leading member of (a group) and excel;
This student heads the class

Head

Direct the course; determine the direction of travelling

Head

Take its rise;
These rivers head from a mountain range in the Himalayas

Head

Be in the front of or on top of;
The list was headed by the name of the president

Head

Form a head or come or grow to a head;
The wheat headed early this year

Head

Remove the head of;
Head the fish

Head

To lead or be in charge of.
He will Head the new project.

FAQs

Can "Chief" and "Head" be used interchangeably?

In some contexts related to leadership, yes, but not always. "Chief" is more formal and specific, while "Head" has broader meanings.

Can "Chief" refer to the top part of something?

Not typically. "Chief" usually pertains to primary importance or leadership.

Why is "Chief" used in corporate titles like CEO?

"Chief" signifies top leadership or primary importance, making it suitable for high-level titles.

Is "Head" related to "Headway"?

Yes, "Headway" means progress or forward movement, derived from the idea of moving ahead.

Is "Head" always a noun?

No, it can also be a verb, like in "head towards the exit."

Do all organizations have a "Chief"?

Not necessarily, but most have a top leader, whether called Chief, Head, president, or another title.

Which is more formal: "Chief" or "Head"?

"Chief" is generally more formal, especially in titles.

Is "Head" always about leadership?

No, "Head" can also refer to the top or front part of something.

What's the opposite of "Chief"?

Depending on context, it might be "subordinate" or "minor."

Can animals have a "Chief"?

While not common, in some contexts, like a pack leader, one might refer to the leader as the Chief.

Does "Head" imply expertise?

Not always. A Head might be in charge due to seniority, expertise, or other reasons.

Are the terms "Head" and "Chief" culturally specific?

Their usage might vary by culture, but as English words, they have broad applications across contexts and regions.

Is the head of state the same as the chief executive?

It depends on the country's governance. In some, they're the same; in others, they are separate roles.

Can a group have multiple "Chiefs"?

It's less common, but possible. For instance, some organizations have a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Chief Information Officer (CIO).

Why do some sports teams have a "Head" coach?

In this context, "Head" denotes the primary or leading coach responsible for the entire team.
About Author
Written by
Janet White
Janet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Harlon Moss
Harlon is a seasoned quality moderator and accomplished content writer for Difference Wiki. An alumnus of the prestigious University of California, he earned his degree in Computer Science. Leveraging his academic background, Harlon brings a meticulous and informed perspective to his work, ensuring content accuracy and excellence.

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