Hierarchy Definition & Meaning | Britannica Dictionary (original) (raw)

Britannica Dictionary definition of HIERARCHY

[count]

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

— hierarchical

/ˌhajəˈrɑɚkɪkəl/

also

hierarchic

/ˌhajəˈrɑɚkɪk/

adjective

[more hierarchical; most hierarchical]

• The army has a rigid hierarchical structure.

— hierarchically

/ˌhajəˈrɑɚkɪkli/

adverb

• The church is organized hierarchically.