sachem
/ˈseɪt͡ʃəm/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.09 in modern English
13
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A chief of one or several Native American tribe(s), especially of the Algonquians; a sagamore.
American usage
Example Sentences
- "Planted with their broad ends on the deck, a circle of these slabs laced together, mutually sloped towards each other, and at the apex united in a tufted point, where the loose hairy fibres waved to and fro like the top-knot on some old Pottowottamie Sachem’s head."
- "If a sachem was too harsh, a tribesman might leave and join another tribe."
- "The society elects annually thirteen sachems, which represent the original thirteen States. […] The other officers of the society are a Secretary, Treasurer, Sagamore, and Wiskinkie."
- "Aboriginal titles were adopted and the head of each tribe was called a sachem. […] Its proprietor, Abraham Martling, was elected a sachem on several occasions and members of Tammany were often called Martling Men."
Etymology
Borrowed from Narragansett sachem; compare Mi'kmaq saqamaw (“chief”) and Unami sakima (“chief”), all ultimately from Proto-Algonquian *sa·kima·wa. Doublet of sagamore.
Word Breakdown
- Root: *sa·kima·wa
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈseɪt͡ʃəm/
- British English: /ˈseɪt͡ʃəm/