bureaucracy

American  

[byoo-rok-ruh-see] / byʊˈrɒk rə si /

noun

plural

bureaucracies

1. government by many bureaus, administrators, and petty officials.

2. the body of officials and administrators, especially of a government or government department.

3. excessive multiplication of, and concentration of power in, administrative bureaus or administrators.

4. administration characterized by excessive red tape and routine.

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bureaucracy British  

/ bjʊəˈrɒkrəsɪ /

noun

1. a system of administration based upon organization into bureaus, division of labour, a hierarchy of authority, etc: designed to dispose of a large body of work in a routine manner

2. government by such a system

3. government or other officials collectively

4. any administration in which action is impeded by unnecessary official procedures and red tape

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bureaucracy Cultural  

1. A formal, hierarchical organization with many levels in which tasks, responsibilities, and authority are delegated among individuals, offices, or departments, held together by a central administration. According to many sociologists and anthropologists, the development of bureaucratic organizations is necessary for the emergence of any modern civilization. (See Max Weber.)

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Discover More

Today, the term bureaucracy suggests a lack of initiative, excessive adherence to rules and routine, red tape (see also red tape), inefficiency, or, even more serious, an impersonal force dominating the lives of individuals. (See Big Brother is watching you.)

Etymology

Origin of bureaucracy

First recorded in 1810–20; bureau + -cracy, modeled on French bureaucratie

Example Sentences

The BBC's response to the errors seems to have been more checks and more bureaucracy - and potentially more managers.

From BBC

“It needs less regulation, less bureaucracy, and more space for each member state to shape policies suited to its own economic realities.”

From The Wall Street Journal

"It restores discipline, reduces unnecessary bureaucracy and ensures staff have the support they need to do what they do best - teach."

From BBC

The civil-defense bureaucracy needs to be streamlined, disaster response tested, and the medical system is overstretched, even in peacetime.

From The Wall Street Journal

Palmer found himself spending time trying to get his expenses cleared through an incompetent bureaucracy, rather than romancing a beautiful girl on a sandy beach.

From BBC

Related Words

• administration
• authority
• civil service
• management
• ministry
• red tape