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hierarchy

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The definition of hierarchy is a group of people or things arranged in order of rank or the people that rank at the top of such a system.

(noun)

An example of hierarchy is the corporate ladder.
An example of hierarchy is the various levels of priests in the Catholic church.

See hierarchy in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun pl. hierarchies

a system of church government by priests or other clergy in graded ranks
the group of officials, esp. the highest officials, in such a system
a group of persons or things arranged in order of rank, grade, class, etc.

Origin: altered (modeled on Gr) < ME ierarchie < OFr jerarchie < ML(Ec) hierarchia < LGr(Ec), power or rule of a hierarch < Gr hierarchēs: see hierarch

See hierarchy in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun pl. hi·er·ar·chies

A body of persons having authority.
a. Categorization of a group of people according to ability or status.
b. The group so categorized.
A series in which each element is graded or ranked: put honesty first in her hierarchy of values.
a. A body of clergy organized into successive ranks or grades with each level subordinate to the one above.
b. Religious rule by a group of ranked clergy.
One of the divisions of angels.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English ierarchie

Origin: , from Old French

Origin: , from Medieval Latin hierarchia

Origin: , from Greek hierarkhiā, rule of a high priest

Origin: , from hierarkhēs, high priest; see hierarch

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