1. The position, rank, or office of a chieftain; the authority or leadership of a tribal or clan leader.
Usage: Plural form of chieftainship; Often used in historical or anthropological contexts
2. The territory or domain ruled by a chieftain.
Usage: Less common usage

Examples

• Several chieftainships in the region competed for control of trade routes.
• The historian studied the rise and fall of various chieftainships in ancient Scotland.
• Each chieftainship maintained its own customs and laws.
• The chieftainships were eventually consolidated into a single kingdom.
• Leadership of the chieftainships passed from father to son through generations.
• Archaeological evidence revealed the extent of these chieftainships across the highlands.