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

Multiple sources with knowledge of the situation said Jackson ultimately lost the trust of manager Enzo Maresca and some of the hierarchy at Stamford Bridge, prompting Jackson to seek a move.

From BBC

He also said he needed to talk to the club's hierarchy next week and 'think about things'.

From BBC

Although many supporters have lost patience at such an early stage, Martin says the Rangers hierarchy "understand this might take time".

From BBC

Active Clubs share extremist beliefs with these organizations, including racial hierarchy and the “Great Replacement” theory, which claims white populations are being deliberately replaced by nonwhite immigrants.

From Salon

While the Forest hierarchy may be divided, the fans showed at Selhurst Park they remain behind the manager.

From BBC

Related Words

• pecking order 
• ranking