hierarchy
[ hahy-uh-rahr-kee, hahy-rahr- ]
/ ˈhaɪ əˌrɑr ki, ˈhaɪ rɑr- /
noun, plural hi·er·ar·chies.
Origin of hierarchy
OTHER WORDS FROM hierarchy
an·ti·hi·er·ar·chy, noun, plural an·ti·hi·er·ar·chies, adjectiveWords nearby hierarchy
hieracosphinx,
hierarch,
hierarchical,
hierarchism,
hierarchize,
hierarchy,
hieratic,
hiero-,
hierocracy,
hierodeacon,
hierodule
Example sentences from the Web for hierarchies
British Dictionary definitions for hierarchies
hierarchy
/ (ˈhaɪəˌrɑːkɪ) /
noun plural -chies
a system of persons or things arranged in a graded order
a body of persons in holy orders organized into graded ranks
the collective body of those so organized
a series of ordered groupings within a system, such as the arrangement of plants and animals into classes, orders, families, etc
linguistics maths
a formal structure, usually represented by a diagram of connected nodes, with a single uppermost element
Compare ordering, heterarchy, tree (def. 6)
government by an organized priesthood
Derived forms of hierarchy
hierarchical or hierarchic, adjective hierarchically, adverb hierarchism, nounWord Origin for hierarchy
C14: from Medieval Latin
hierarchia, from Late Greek
hierarkhia, from
hierarkhēs high priest; see
hiero-,
-archy