'Hierarchy' definitions:
Definition of 'hierarchy'
From: WordNet
noun
A series of ordered groupings of people or things within a system; "put honesty first in her hierarchy of values"
noun
The organization of people at different ranks in an administrative body [syn: hierarchy, power structure, pecking order]
Definition of 'Hierarchy'
From: GCIDE
- Hierarchy \Hi"er*arch`y\ (h[imac]"[~e]r*[aum]rk`[y^]), n.; pl. Hierarchies (h[imac]"[~e]r*[aum]rk`[i^]z). [Gr. 'ierarchi`a: cf. F. hi['e]rarchie.]
- 1. Dominion or authority in sacred things. [1913 Webster]
- 2. A body of officials disposed organically in ranks and orders each subordinate to the one above it; a body of ecclesiastical rulers. [1913 Webster]
- 3. A form of government administered in the church by patriarchs, metropolitans, archbishops, bishops, and, in an inferior degree, by priests. --Shipley. [1913 Webster]
- 4. A rank or order of holy beings. [1913 Webster]
- Standards and gonfalons . . . for distinction serve Of hierarchies, of orders, and degrees. --Milton.
- 5. (Math., Logic, Computers) Any group of objects ranked so that every one but the topmost is subordinate to a specified one above it; also, the entire set of ordering relations between such objects. The ordering relation between each object and the one above is called a hierarchical relation.
- Note: Classification schemes, as in biology, usually form hierarchies. [PJC]
Synonyms of 'hierarchy'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- absolute monarchy,
- aedileship,
- animal kingdom,
- archbishopric,
- archiepiscopacy,
- archiepiscopate,
- aristocracy,
- autarchy,
- autocracy,
- autonomy,
- bishopric,
- bureaucracy,
- caste,
- chain of being,
- chairmanship,
- chancellery,
- chancellorate,
- chancellorship,
- chiefery,
- chiefry,
- chieftaincy,
- chieftainry,
- chieftainship,
- class,
- class structure,
- coalition government,
- colonialism,
- commonwealth,
- condition,
- constitutional government,
- constitutional monarchy,
- consulate,
- consulship,
- continuity,
- deanery,
- degree,
- democracy,
- dictatorship,
- dictature,
- directorate,
- directorship,
- domain,
- dominion rule,
- duarchy,
- duumvirate,
- dyarchy,
- echelon,
- emirate,
- episcopacy,
- establishment,
- federal government,
- federation,
- feudal system,
- footing,
- garrison state,
- gerontocracy,
- governorship,
- gradation,
- headship,
- hegemony,
- heteronomy,
- hierocracy,
- higher echelons,
- higher-ups,
- home rule,
- kingdom,
- leadership,
- limited monarchy,
- lordship,
- magistracy,
- magistrateship,
- magistrature,
- management,
- martial law,
- masterdom,
- mastership,
- mastery,
- mayoralty,
- mayorship,
- meritocracy,
- metropolitanate,
- metropolitanship,
- militarism,
- military government,
- mineral kingdom,
- ministry,
- mob rule,
- mobocracy,
- monarchy,
- natural hierarchy,
- neocolonialism,
- nobility,
- ochlocracy,
- officialdom,
- oligarchy,
- order,
- pantisocracy,
- papacy,
- pashadom,
- pashalic,
- patriarchate,
- patriarchy,
- pecking order,
- place,
- police state,
- pontificality,
- pontificate,
- popedom,
- popehood,
- popeship,
- position,
- power structure,
- precedence,
- prefectship,
- prefecture,
- prelacy,
- premiership,
- presidency,
- presidentship,
- prime-ministership,
- prime-ministry,
- princedom,
- princeship,
- principality,
- proconsulate,
- proconsulship,
- protectorate,
- protectorship,
- provostry,
- provostship,
- pure democracy,
- pyramid,
- rank,
- rate,
- rating,
- realm,
- rectorate,
- rectorship,
- regency,
- regentship,
- representative democracy,
- representative government,
- republic,
- ruling class,
- ruling classes,
- seigniory,
- self-determination,
- self-government,
- seneschalship,
- seneschalsy,
- sequence,
- serial order,
- sheikhdom,
- sheriffalty,
- sheriffcy,
- sheriffdom,
- shrievalty,
- social democracy,
- sphere,
- stage,
- standing,
- station,
- status,
- stratocracy,
- subordination,
- supervisorship,
- suzerainship,
- suzerainty,
- technocracy,
- the administration,
- the authorities,
- the Establishment,
- the ingroup,
- the interests,
- the people upstairs,
- the power elite,
- the power structure,
- the top,
- thearchy,
- them,
- theocracy,
- they,
- top brass,
- totalitarian government,
- totalitarian regime,
- triarchy,
- tribunate,
- triumvirate,
- tyranny,
- vegetable kingdom,
- vizierate,
- viziership,
- welfare state