hierarchy

American  

[hahy-uh-rahr-kee, hahy-rahr-] / ˈhaɪ əˌrɑr ki, ˈhaɪ rɑr- /

noun

plural

hierarchies

1. any system of persons or things ranked one above another.

2. government by ecclesiastical rulers.

3. the power or dominion of a hierarch.

4. an organized body of ecclesiastical officials in successive ranks or orders.

   the Roman Catholic hierarchy.

5. one of the three divisions of the angels, each made up of three orders, conceived as constituting a graded body.

6. Also called celestial hierarchy.  the collective body of angels.

7. government by an elite group.

8. Linguistics. the system of levels according to which a language is organized, as phonemic, morphemic, syntactic, or semantic.

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hierarchy British  

/ ˈhaɪəˌrɑːkɪ /

noun

1. a system of persons or things arranged in a graded order

2. a body of persons in holy orders organized into graded ranks

3. the collective body of those so organized

4. a series of ordered groupings within a system, such as the arrangement of plants and animals into classes, orders, families, etc

5. linguistics maths a formal structure, usually represented by a diagram of connected nodes, with a single uppermost element Compare ordering heterarchy tree

6. government by an organized priesthood

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Other Word Forms

• antihierarchy noun
• hierarchical adjective
• hierarchically adverb
• hierarchism noun

Etymology

Origin of hierarchy

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English jerarchie, from Middle French ierarchie, gerarchie, from Medieval Latin (h)ierarchia, from Late Greek hierarchía “stewardship of sacred rites, rule or power of the high priest,” equivalent to hier(o)- “holy, sacred” + -archía, a combining form meaning “rule”; hier(o)-, -archy

Example Sentences

But the club's hierarchy are desperate to make Nuno's appointment a success.

From BBC

Amorim was axed after a turbulent 14 months in charge at Old Trafford culminated with his scathing criticism of the United hierarchy last weekend.

From Barron's

This humiliation should spark some deep introspection among the hierarchy at Celtic Park and with it, a question: Is this a great football club or is it not?

From BBC

While this may seem peculiar - and would have looked so had anyone witnessed it -it does make sense given individuals were allocated positions and a hierarchy installed.

From BBC

Amorim left United's hierarchy with no option but to sack him after Sunday's Elland Road outburst, an ill-judged play from a combustible personality who was already on shifting sands.

From BBC

Related Words

• pecking order
• ranking