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hierarchy definition

hi·er·ar·chy (hī′ər är′kē)

noun pl. hierarchies -·chies

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

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

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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Antonym for hierarchy1039 years ago

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