Jefe

Pronunciation varies by accent · noun

Meaning

(informal) An officer with political influence; a head or chief in government, such as a sheriff, particularly where that person is Hispanic or of Mexican descent..

Definitions by Sense

1. (informal) An officer with political influence; a head or chief in government, such as a sheriff, particularly where that person is Hispanic or of Mexican descent.
2. A boss in a business, company, or other organization.

Example Sentences

before he stepped forward uttering the stereotyped greeting, the Texan had put him down as the jefe or head man.... Snatching up the rifle he lit out after the jefe, who had left two jumps ahead of the smoke.

Antonio Rivera Cabezas was chosen vice-jefe in March 1830.

Hilario Saño, a suspect, resident here but much doubted by the jefe local, was put to the test

2005 May, Monica Rico, EMails that Go Nowhere, Google Mail. A jefe in this sense refers to a true boss, the leader of the household, also known as Jose Rico.

“They ain’t going to deliver the cattle across.... They’ve taken too much of a beating as it is. They’ve lost their big jefe and lots of men.”

When they were slacking off in the mine, for example, and a jefe arrived unexpectedly, they shouted loro (parrot) or fuego (fire) as warning signals.

A jefe in this sense is a mentor, a person who is often a compadre of the migrant.... In any case, a jefe is not a loan shark

Synonyms for jefe

Antonyms for jefe

Related Words

Word Forms

• jefes

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

Practice and Learn More

Frequently Asked Questions