sachem

noun

sa·​chem ˈsā-chəm  ˈsa- 

plural sachems

1

: a North American Indigenous chief

especially : the chief of a confederation of the Algonquian tribes of the North Atlantic coast

2

: a Tammany leader

sachemic

sā-ˈche-mik 

sa-

adjective

Examples of sachem in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The powwow is a celebration of harvesting the green corn and anticipation of a change in seasons, said Anthony Dean Stanton, the tribe’s chief sachem. — Jonny Williams, The Providence Journal, 7 Aug. 2026

Or Opeka, a Shawnee sachem who shrewdly negotiated with the governor of Pennsylvania in 1710 to spare the lives of his people accused of killing colonists? — Jennifer Schuessler, New York Times, 20 Sep. 2022

Some scholars counter that Mason’s statue should remain — with the addition of statues of Indigenous leaders, such as the Mohegan sachem Uncas and the Pequot Sachem Sassacus. — Rick Green, courant.com, 17 Nov. 2021

Word History

Etymology

Narragansett sâchim

First Known Use

1622, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

sachem

noun

sa·​chem ˈsā-chəm 

: the chief of a North American Indigenous tribe

especially : the chief of a confederation of the Algonquin tribes of the North Atlantic coast