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View synonyms for

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

/ ˈɪəˌɑːɪ /

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
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˌ󾱱ˈ󾱳, adverb
  • ˈ󾱱ˌ󾱲, noun
  • ˌ󾱱ˈ󾱳, adjective
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Other Word Forms

  • t·İ·c noun plural antihierarchies adjective
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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 󾱱í “stewardship of sacred rites, rule or power of the high priest,” equivalent to hier(o)- “holy, sacred” + -í, a combining form meaning “rule”; hier(o)-, -archy
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Word History and Origins

Origin of hierarchy1

C14: from Medieval Latin hierarchia, from Late Greek hierarkhia, from 󾱱ŧ high priest; see hiero- , -archy
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Though not a fan of trips to the Vatican or of hierarchy and power plays, Bergoglio evidently earned the respect of his fellow senior prelates, the red-hatted “princes of the church.”

From

It does not help that the hierarchy rarely speak publicly, allowing supporters to understand and digest the situation.

From

James doubled-down on his role in the Lakers’ offense on Friday, simplifying any lingering questions about hierarchy now that the playoffs are here.

From

That creates these "self-help" angles that purport only to offer guidance on daily life, but instead smuggle in highly politicized ideas about hierarchy, power, and freedom.

From

There is a reason Green excites the Australian hierarchy in a way few others ever have, however.

From

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hierarchizehieratic