Main Entry: hi·er·ar·chy

Pronunciation: \ˈhī-(ə-)ˌrär-kē also ˈhi(-ə)r-ˌär-\

Function: noun

Inflected Form(s): plural hi·er·ar·chies

Etymology: Middle English ierarchie rank or order of holy beings, from Anglo-French jerarchie, from Medieval Latin hierarchia, from Late Greek, from Greek hierarchēs

Date: 14th century

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>