hierarchy
/ˈhaɪəˌɑːki/HIGH-ur-ahr-kee
/ˈhaɪɚˌɑɹki/HIGH-ur-ahr-kee
Meaningholy rule
Common meaning: a ranking of levels
- hierholy, set apart for the godsLiddell & Scott, Greek-English Lexicon (1883), p. 695 (approximate) · scan
- archa beginning; rule, commandLiddell & Scott, Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon (1889), p. 121 · scan
- ynoun ending: study, state or act
‘holy, set apart for the gods’ + ‘a beginning’ → hierarchy
Journey through time
- hier — Greek ἱερός “holy, set apart for the gods” (path traced)
- arch — Greek ἀρχή “a beginning; rule, command” (path traced)
Parts join in French as hierarchie.
- Aryan root · reconstructed√IS‘be vigorous’No written record; from Skeat’s list of Aryan roots, no. 35, p. 731 · scan
- Greekἱερός + ἀρχή‘holy, set apart for the gods + a beginning’
- Frenchhierarchie
- Englishhierarchy‘a ranking of levels’ · today
hier also in: hieroglyph
arch also in: archaicarchaicallyarchipelagomonarchgynarchy
Sources & notes
Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.
Pronunciation
- UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
- No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
- US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
- No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.
Origin: Built on Greek ἱερός ‘holy, set apart for the gods’ + Greek ἀρχή ‘a beginning; rule, command’.
Did you know: our wording, based on Liddell & Scott, Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon (1889), entry ἀρχή, p. 121 · dictionary scan
Roots
Related words
Building blocks are an automatic split · open in app