sachem
UK[ˈseɪtʃəm]US[ˈseɪtʃəm]
n
A chief of a Native American tribe or confederation, especially among the Algonquian peoples of northeastern North America.
n
A leader or high official, especially a political boss in the Tammany Hall organization in New York City in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Etymology
The word 'sachem' entered English in the early 17th century from the Narragansett language, an Algonquian language spoken in what is now New England. It is cognate with similar terms in related languages, such as Massachusett 'sâchim' and Delaware 'sakima', all meaning 'chief'. The term was adopted by English colonists to refer specifically to the political leaders of the Algonquian peoples they encountered. Its meaning was later figuratively extended in American political slang to denote a powerful leader or boss within a political machine, most famously within New York City's Tammany Hall organization, which borrowed Native American terminology for its internal hierarchy.
Analysis
The word is a simplex loanword from an Algonquian language. It is not productively segmented into smaller, meaningful morphemes within the English language system.
Examples
The sachem presided over the council meeting, listening to the concerns of all the families.
In the 19th century, becoming a Tammany Hall sachem was a sign of significant political influence.
Historical records indicate the sachem negotiated the treaty with the European settlers.