hierarchy

C1 Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ˈhaɪ.ə.ɹɑː(ɹ).ki/ See IPA manual

Freq #17213

Meanings

1

noun
A system in which people or things are ranked one above another by status or importance.

In most companies there is a clear hierarchy from junior staff to managers.
2

noun
An ordered arrangement in which each thing is ranked relative to the others.

We put honesty first in our hierarchy of values.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a system in which people or... pecking orderpower structure

Word family

Forms hierarchies

Derived forms antihierarchyhierarchialhierarchismpolyhierarchysubhierarchysuperhierarchy

Related forms hierarchhierarchichierarchicalhierarchicallyhierarchizationhierarchizeholarchythearchy

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

episcopal hierarchy
the ranked leadership structure of a church in the Episcopal tradition

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From Middle English ierarchie, jerarchie, from Old French ierarchie, jerarchie, from Late Latin ierarchia, from Latin hierarchia, from Ancient Greek ἱεραρχία (hierarkhía, “rule of a high priest”), from ἱεράρχης (hierárkhēs, “high priest”), from ἱερός (hierós, “holy”) + ἄρχω (árkhō, “to rule”), equivalent to hiero- + -archy. The H was re-added c. 1500 due to influence from Classical Latin.

ierarchie Middle English ierarchia la-lat hierarchia Latin ἱεραρχία Ancient Greek

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Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# hierarchy

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈhaɪ.ə.ɹɑː(ɹ).ki/
**Frequency rank:** 17213

## Meanings
1. A system in which people or things are ranked one above another by status or importance.
2. An ordered arrangement in which each thing is ranked relative to the others.

## Examples
- In most companies there is a clear hierarchy from junior staff to managers.
- We put honesty first in our hierarchy of values.

## Derived Forms
- antihierarchy
- hierarchial
- hierarchism
- polyhierarchy
- subhierarchy
- superhierarchy

## Related Forms
- hierarch
- hierarchic
- hierarchical
- hierarchically
- hierarchization
- hierarchize
- holarchy
- thearchy

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: ierarchie
- Root: ierarchia
- Root: hierarchia
- Root: ἱεραρχία
- Affix: -archy - rule

## Etymology
From Middle English ierarchie, jerarchie, from Old French ierarchie, jerarchie, from Late Latin ierarchia, from Latin hierarchia, from Ancient Greek ἱεραρχία (hierarkhía, “rule of a high priest”), from ἱεράρχης (hierárkhēs, “high priest”), from ἱερός (hierós, “holy”) + ἄρχω (árkhō, “to rule”), equivalent to hiero- + -archy. The H was re-added c. 1500 due to influence from Classical Latin.

## AI Etymology
Hierarchy comes from Middle English ierarchie, jerarchie, from Old French ierarchie, jerarchie, from Late Latin ierarchia, from Latin hierarchia, from Ancient Greek ἱεραρχία (hierarkhía, “rule of a high priest”), from ἱεράρχης (hierárkhēs, “high priest”), from ἱερός (hierós, “holy”) + ἄρχω (árkhō, “to rule”), equivalent to hiero- + -archy. The H was re-added c. 1500 due to influence from Classical Latin. The historical chain includes ierarchie (Middle English), ierarchie (Old French), ierarchia (Late Latin), hierarchia (Latin), and ἱεραρχία (Ancient Greek). The surrounding word family includes derived forms such as antihierarchy, hierarchial, hierarchism, and polyhierarchy and related forms such as hierarch, hierarchic, and hierarchical. In present use it covers a system in which people or things are ranked one above another by status or importance and an ordered arrangement in which each thing is ranked relative to the others.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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