bureau
noun /ˈbjʊərəʊ/
/ˈbjʊrəʊ/
(plural bureaux
/ˈbjʊərəʊz/
/ˈbjʊrəʊz/
, bureaus)- (British English) a desk with drawers and usually a top that opens down to make a table to write on
- There was just enough space for a fold-up bed, washstand and bureau.
- (North American English) (also chest of drawers, dresser ())a piece of furniture with drawers (= parts like boxes built into it with handles on the front for pulling them out) for keeping clothes in
- an office or organization that provides information on a particular subject
- She works for an employment bureau.
- a convention bureau (= an office that provides information and services for people organizing conferences)
- (especially North American English) a visitor’s bureau (= an office that provides information for tourists)
Extra ExamplesTopics Holidaysc2- She had a friend in the press bureau.
- The bureau handles millions of requests each year.
- You can get advice on a wide variety of subjects including money, debt, and legal problems, from your local Citizens' Advice bureau.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- federal
- government
- census
- …
- contact
- go to
- establish
- …
- handle something
- staff
- chief
- at a/the bureau
- in a/the bureau
- bureau of
- …
- (in the US) a government department or part of a government department
- the Federal Bureau of Investigation
- the US Bureau of Prisons
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- federal
- government
- census
- …
- contact
- go to
- establish
- …
- handle something
- staff
- chief
- at a/the bureau
- in a/the bureau
- bureau of
- …
Word Originlate 17th cent.: from French, originally ‘baize’ (used to cover writing desks), from Old French burel, probably from bure ‘dark brown’, based on Greek purros ‘red’.