hierarchy

noun

hi·er·ar·chy

ˈhī-(ə-)ˌrär-kē,

also

ˈhi(-ə)r-ˌär- How to pronounce hierarchy (audio)

plural hierarchies

: a division of angels

: a ruling body of clergy organized into orders or ranks each subordinate to the one above it

especially : the bishops of a province or nation

: church government by a hierarchy

: a body of persons in authority

: the classification of a group of people according to ability or to economic, social, or professional standing

also : the group so classified

: a graded or ranked series

a hierarchy of values

Did you know?

What did hierarchy originally mean?

The earliest meaning of hierarchy in English has to do with the ranks of different types of angels in the celestial order. The idea of categorizing groups according to rank readily transferred to the organization of priestly or other governmental rule. The word hierarchy is, in fact, related to a number of governmental words in English, such as monarchy, anarchy, and oligarchy, although it itself is now very rarely used in relation to government.

The word comes from the Greek hierarchēs, which was formed by combining the words hieros, meaning “supernatural, holy,” and archos, meaning. “ruler.” Hierarchy has continued to spread its meaning beyond matters ecclesiastical and governmental, and today is commonly found used in reference to any one of a number of different forms of graded classification.

Example Sentences

… he wrote a verse whose metaphors were read somewhere in the Baathist hierarchy as incitement to Kurdish nationalism.

Geraldine Brooks, Los Angeles Times, 30 Dec. 2001 Whereas the monkeys normally hew to strict hierarchies when it comes to who gets the best food and who grooms whom, there are no obvious top or rotten bananas in the sharing of millipede secretions.

Natalie Angier, New York Times, 5 Dec. 2000 The idea that social order has to come from a centralized, rational, bureaucratic hierarchy was very much associated with the industrial age.

Francis Fukuyama, Atlantic, May 1999 The church hierarchy faced resistance to some of their decisions. He was at the bottom of the corporate hierarchy. a rigid hierarchy of social classes See More

Recent Examples on the Web The inspector general’s independence of the EPA hierarchy would also challenge the longstanding dynamic on the ground, as regional EPA officials often work closely and have longstanding relationships with state and local governments, Olson said.

Laura Strickler, NBC News, 9 Sep. 2022 Instead of the usual hierarchy of legacy brands, creatives with programming skills can technically build their own digital fashion label at a relatively low cost.

Leah Dolan, CNN, 8 Sep. 2022 Under the Ottoman Empire, starting in the 15th century, muftis became part of the bureaucratic apparatus, with a chief mufti at the top of the hierarchy.

Ben Zimmer, WSJ, 18 Aug. 2022 Unsurprisingly, whiteness was often placed at the top of the hierarchy.

Brigit Katz, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Aug. 2022 While status was clear among the dukes and earls at the top of the hierarchy, things got fuzzy among the low-ranking nobles.

Melissa Mohr, The Christian Science Monitor, 27 June 2022 At the bottom of the hierarchy is the Windsor Enclosure which is free of dress code.

Isiah Magsino, Vogue, 20 June 2022 The only survivor who knows how to fish or make a fire is one of the ship’s maids, who soon rises to the top of the social hierarchy.

Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 May 2022 Despite these impressive figures, Black business owners are still at the bottom rung of the VC investment hierarchy.

Jasmine Browley, Essence, 26 Aug. 2022 See More

单词	hierarchy
释义	hierarchy noun hi·er·ar·chy ˈhī-(ə-)ˌrär-kē, also ˈhi(-ə)r-ˌär- plural hierarchies 1 : a division of angels 2 a : a ruling body of clergy organized into orders or ranks each subordinate to the one above it especially : the bishops of a province or nation b : church government by a hierarchy 3 : a body of persons in authority 4 : the classification of a group of people according to ability or to economic, social, or professional standing also : the group so classified 5 : a graded or ranked series a hierarchy of values Did you know? What did hierarchy originally mean? The earliest meaning of hierarchy in English has to do with the ranks of different types of angels in the celestial order. The idea of categorizing groups according to rank readily transferred to the organization of priestly or other governmental rule. The word hierarchy is, in fact, related to a number of governmental words in English, such as monarchy, anarchy, and oligarchy, although it itself is now very rarely used in relation to government. The word comes from the Greek hierarchēs, which was formed by combining the words hieros, meaning “supernatural, holy,” and archos, meaning. “ruler.” Hierarchy has continued to spread its meaning beyond matters ecclesiastical and governmental, and today is commonly found used in reference to any one of a number of different forms of graded classification. Synonyms graduation ladder ordering ranking scale See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences … he wrote a verse whose metaphors were read somewhere in the Baathist hierarchy as incitement to Kurdish nationalism. Geraldine Brooks, Los Angeles Times, 30 Dec. 2001 Whereas the monkeys normally hew to strict hierarchies when it comes to who gets the best food and who grooms whom, there are no obvious top or rotten bananas in the sharing of millipede secretions. Natalie Angier, New York Times, 5 Dec. 2000 The idea that social order has to come from a centralized, rational, bureaucratic hierarchy was very much associated with the industrial age. Francis Fukuyama, Atlantic, May 1999 The church hierarchy faced resistance to some of their decisions. He was at the bottom of the corporate hierarchy. a rigid hierarchy of social classes See More Recent Examples on the Web The inspector general’s independence of the EPA hierarchy would also challenge the longstanding dynamic on the ground, as regional EPA officials often work closely and have longstanding relationships with state and local governments, Olson said. Laura Strickler, NBC News, 9 Sep. 2022 Instead of the usual hierarchy of legacy brands, creatives with programming skills can technically build their own digital fashion label at a relatively low cost. Leah Dolan, CNN, 8 Sep. 2022 Under the Ottoman Empire, starting in the 15th century, muftis became part of the bureaucratic apparatus, with a chief mufti at the top of the hierarchy. Ben Zimmer, WSJ, 18 Aug. 2022 Unsurprisingly, whiteness was often placed at the top of the hierarchy. Brigit Katz, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Aug. 2022 While status was clear among the dukes and earls at the top of the hierarchy, things got fuzzy among the low-ranking nobles. Melissa Mohr, The Christian Science Monitor, 27 June 2022 At the bottom of the hierarchy is the Windsor Enclosure which is free of dress code. Isiah Magsino, Vogue, 20 June 2022 The only survivor who knows how to fish or make a fire is one of the ship’s maids, who soon rises to the top of the social hierarchy. Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 May 2022 Despite these impressive figures, Black business owners are still at the bottom rung of the VC investment hierarchy. Jasmine Browley, Essence, 26 Aug. 2022 See More Word History Etymology Middle English ierarchie rank or order of holy beings, from Anglo-French jerarchie, from Medieval Latin hierarchia, from Late Greek, from Greek hierarchēs First Known Use 14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Phrases Containing hierarchy celestial hierarchy celestial hierarchy hierarchy noun as in ladder a scheme of rank or order honesty sits at the top of my hierarchy of values Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance ladder ranking scale level sequence series ordering graduation status distribution echelon array degree position arrangement situation disposal place setup standing peck order disposition rung food chain footing station pecking order reaches spot
随便看	monocytic monocytopoiesis monocytopoietic monocytoses monoda monodactyle monodactylies monodactylism monodactylisms monodactylous monodactyly monodelph monodelphes Monodelphia monodelphian monodelphic monodelphous monodentate monodermic monodic monodical monodies monodimetric monodisc monodisk

hierarchy

noun

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Phrases Containing hierarchy

noun