hierarchy

[hahy-uh-rahr-kee, hahy-rahr-]

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.

hierarchy

/ 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

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of hierarchy¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of hierarchy¹

C14: from Medieval Latin hierarchia, from Late Greek hierarkhia, from hierarkhēs high priest; see _hiero- , _-archy

Example Sentences

The findings call into question the idea that projects of this scale require strict hierarchy or a single coordinating authority.

Read more on Science Daily

That said, Chelsea's hierarchy would also view any title challenge this season as being ahead of schedule.

Read more on BBC

In their analysis of Belgian ales, the scientists found a clear hierarchy.

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It reflects a deliberate choice to skew incentives toward obedience in the name of hierarchy, discipline, and civilian control, even at the expense of allowing some illegal orders to be carried out.

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Remedies built on backward-looking market definitions risk locking in old hierarchies rather than promoting new entries.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• pecking order 
• ranking