bureau

American  

[byoor-oh] / ˈbyʊər oʊ /

noun

plural

bureaus, bureaux

1. a chest of drawers, often with a mirror at the top.

2. a division of a government department or an independent administrative unit.

3. an office for collecting or distributing news or information, coordinating work, or performing specified services; agency.

   a travel bureau; a news bureau.

4. Chiefly British. a desk or writing table with drawers for papers.

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bureau British  

/ ˈbjʊərəʊ /

noun

1. a writing desk with pigeonholes, drawers, etc, against which the writing surface can be closed when not in use

2. a chest of drawers

3. an office or agency, esp one providing services for the public

4. 1. a government department

   2. a branch of a government department

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Other Word Forms

• subbureau noun

Etymology

Origin of bureau

1710–20; < French: desk, office, originally a kind of cloth (used to cover desks, etc.), Anglo-French, Old French burel, equivalent to bur- (probably < *būra, variant of Late Latin burra wool, fluff ; bourrée ) + -el noun suffix

Explanation

When you put your socks away, you'll most likely put them in a bureau, or a chest of drawers used for storing clothes. Hopefully you've washed them. A dresser or a chest of drawers can also be called a bureau, a piece of furniture with drawers for storing things. Another meaning of bureau is "an office or government agency." These two definitions seem unrelated, but the original meaning of the French word bureau, "cloth covering for a desk" helps explain. Bureau gradually evolved to mean first just "desk" (and eventually "dresser"), and around 1720 it also started being used to mean a room full of desks, or an office.

Example Sentences

In Michigan, a similar measure has not yet been placed on the ballot, as the state elections bureau has not verified the signatures required to advance.

From Salon • Apr. 16, 2026

Exports from China rose 2.5% in March from a year earlier in dollar-denominated terms, decelerating from a 22% increase in January and February, according to data released Tuesday by China’s customs bureau.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

“The bureau proactively manages the city’s streets, ensuring roadways are treated not only for repair but also to strengthen the street network and prevent future potholes,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

The Japanese news agency also reported, citing unnamed sources within the government in Tokyo, that the person is believed to be the Tehran bureau chief of broadcaster NHK.

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

With the government’s case in trouble, prosecutors eventually called a witness who, they believed, could sway the jury in their favor: the bootlegger and former bureau informant Kelsie Morrison.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

Related Words

• agency
• authority
• board
• commission
• committee
• department
• division
• office