Pronunciation guide

How to pronounce hierarchy

HY-uh-rar-kee - four syllables, stress on the 1st

US/ˈhaɪ.ə.ɹɑːɹ.ki/

haɪəɹɑːɹki

UK/ˈhaɪ.ə.ɹɑːɹ.ki/

haɪəɹɑːɹki

New to IPA symbols? Read the IPA guide.

Common mistake

Keep the middle syllable - 'HY-uh-rar-kee', not 'HY-rar-kee'.

What “hierarchy” means

A body of authoritative officials organized in nested ranks.

In a sentence

  • A hierarchy of officials governed the administration, with each tier reporting to the one above it.
  • In many societies, social hierarchy determines status, privilege, and responsibility.

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Definitions and examples are derived from Wiktionary, used under CC BY-SA 4.0, then edited by QuickPronounce. Pronunciation data draws on CMUdict.