sachem

noun

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.

1. A chief of one or several Native American tribe(s), especially of the Algonquians; a sagamore.

   “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.”

2. A boss, a leader.
3. An eminent member of a group, or an eminent person in society; a sagamore.
4. A high-ranking officer of the Tammany Hall political organization.

   “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.”

5. A butterfly of the Americas, Atalopedes campestris.