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 angels2 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 hierarchy3: a body of persons in authority4: the classification of a group of people according to ability or to economic, social, or professional standing ; also : the group so classified5: a graded or ranked series <a hierarchy of values>