Hierarchy

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈhaɪ.ə.ɹɑː(ɹ).ki/

Definitions

1. A structured arrangement where entities are organized by levels of authority or power
2. An organization system in which individuals or groups are prioritized based on their rank or status
3. A system of classification in which individuals or groups are ranked according to their relative authority or importance

Etymology: The word began as a Greek term for religious authority. In ancient Greek, "hierarkhēs" meant "high priest," built from "hierós," meaning "holy," and "árkhō," meaning "to rule." So "hierarkhía" literally meant "rule of a high priest," a sacred office rather than a ladder of ranks. It reached English by way of Middle English "ierarchie" and "jerarchie," which came through Old French and Late Latin before Latin "hierarchia" was adopted. The early forms dropped the initial H, which was only restored around 1500, when scholars, pressing toward classical spellings, reintroduced it under the influence of Classical Latin.

Synonyms: pecking order, ranking, order, structure, system

Antonyms: anarchy, disorder