Obs. Forms: 3–5 cheveteyn(e, 3, 6 -aine, 4–5 -ayn(e, 5 -ein, -an, -un, chiveteyn, chyveteyne, -tayn(e, 5–6 chievetain, 6 chieuetaine; 3–5 cheventeyn, 4 -ayn, 5 eyne, -ein, -en(e, chevynteyn. [ME. chevetaine, a. OF. chevetaine, -aigne, 12th c. semi-popular ad. late L. capitāneus, capitānus, chief, principal, f. capit- head: see CAPTAIN. The word underwent various corruptions in ME.; but the form chev(e)taine under the influence of chef, CHIEF, became cheftaine, CHIEFTAIN, which at length superseded all the others.] Earlier form of CHIEFTAIN.
c. 1275. Lay., 5879. And ouer eche ferde anne cheuetaine [1205 heretoȝe].
1297. R. Glouc. (1724), 213. Cheueteyns he [Arture] made somme; As þe kyng of Cornwayll, [etc.]. Ibid., 400. Roberd Courtehese hii chose to cheuenteyne.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Knt.’s T., 1696. And if so be the chieftayn [v.r. chiefteyn, cheuynteyn, cheuentein, chevetayn, cheftaigne, cheventen] be take.
c. 1400. Maundev., Prol. 3. Withouten a Cheventeyn, or a chief Lord.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom. (1879), 9. Whenne þe cheventeyns of the cite sawe him.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., lxvi. 49. They take … the kynges broder to ben hir chyueteyne.
1567. Drant, Horace’s Epist., II. i. G viij. Thee being cheuetaine [te Principe].
1586. Ferne, Blaz. Gentrie, 24. In the choise of Chieuetaines.
