hierarchy

Everyday

1. A system where people or things are arranged in levels, from the most important or powerful at the top to the least at the bottom. tree →
2. The people in charge of an organisation, such as a church or company. tree →
3. (science, maths) Any ordering of things into levels, like groups inside groups. tree →

In the lessons

In history lessons the feudal system is a hierarchy: king, barons, knights, peasants. In science, classification of living things is a hierarchy (kingdom, class, order, family, genus, species). In church life, «hierarchy» means bishops, priests and deacons. In maths, the order of operations is like a hierarchy. Phrases: at the top of the hierarchy, social hierarchy, a pecking order.

Examples

• In the feudal hierarchy, the king was at the top. tree →
• Wolves in a pack have a hierarchy. tree →
• Living things are sorted in a hierarchy from kingdom to species. tree →
• The Catholic Church has a hierarchy of bishops and priests. tree →
• At school the hierarchy goes from the head teacher to the teachers and assistants. tree →
• Chickens have a hierarchy called a pecking order. tree →

Note

Plural: hierarchies. Pronounced HY-uh-rar-kee. Spelling: hier-archy (i before e here). Adjective: hierarchical. Do not confuse with «hieroglyph» (Egyptian picture writing), which starts the same.