bureau

Everyday

1. An office or government department that does a special job, such as the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) or a tourist information bureau. tree →
2. (UK) A writing desk with drawers and a lid that folds down. tree →
3. (US) A chest of drawers for clothes. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life you meet bureaus as offices: a «travel bureau», a «weather bureau» (the Bureau of Meteorology in Australia), a «bureau de change» (where you swap money for travel). In homes, Grandma's old bureau may hold letters and pens.

Examples

• The Bureau of Meteorology says it will rain tomorrow. (Australia) tree →
• We changed our money at a bureau de change. tree →
• The FBI is the Federal Bureau of Investigation. tree →
• Grandma keeps her letters in an old wooden bureau. tree →
• My socks are in the top drawer of the bureau. (US) tree →
• Ask at the tourist bureau for a map. tree →

Note

Two plurals: bureaus (common, US) and bureaux (UK, French style). Said «BYOOR-oh». Spelling trap: b-u-r-e-a-u, from French. Related: bureaucracy (lots of offices and rules), bureaucrat.