plural hierarchies
1
: a group that controls an organization and is divided into different levels
The church hierarchy faced resistance to some of their/its decisions.
2
: a system in which people or things are placed in a series of levels with different importance or status
He was at the bottom of the corporate hierarchy.
a rigid hierarchy of social classes
Cite this Entry
“Hierarchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/hierarchy. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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