Haupt

In German, Haupt in the broadest sense means something on the top of a hierarchy.

Regarding the human body, the usage of Haupt for the head is considered antiquated or poetic, Kopf is being used instead. But Haupt still appears in figures of speech, as in compounds (Hauptbahnhof, Hauptmann, Hauptschule, Hauptwohnsitz) where its meaning equals the usage of the English main (e.g. Hauptreaktor = main reactor)

Also, Haupt describes the most important person or element of a group:

• das Haupt der Familie ("head of family"),
• das Haupt der Hanse (the city of Lübeck, having led the Hanseatic League).

Derived from Haupt are Häuptling ("chieftain") and Enthauptung ("beheading").