* Adjective: Describing something as the most important or highest in rank.
* Example: "The chief concern is safety."
* Noun: A leader or head of a group, organization, or department.
* Example: "The chief gave a speech."
* Verb: To be in charge of something.
* Example: "He chiefed the project." (Less common usage)
Therefore, to determine the part of speech of "chief", you need to examine how it is used in a sentence.