Standard Lemma guide

hierarchic

adj · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /haɪ.əˈɹɑː.kɪk/
  • US: /haɪˈɹɑɹ.kɪk/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Synonym of hierarchal (“pertaining to a hierarch (high-ranking clergyman)”).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: hierarchal

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Synonym of hierarchical (“pertaining to a hierarchy (ranking)”).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable, usually

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: hierarchical

Antonyms: none provided

3

adjective

Meaning 3

classified according to various criteria into successive levels or layers

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • it has been said that only a hierarchical society with a leisure class at the top can produce works of art
  • in her hierarchical set of values honesty comes first

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: hierarchical, hierarchal

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English hierarch Proto-Indo-European *-ikos Proto-Italic *-ikos Latin -icuslbor. Old French -iquebor. Middle English -ik English -ic English hierarchic From hierarch + -ic.

Etymology tree English hierarchy Proto-Indo-European *-ikos Proto-Italic *-ikos Latin -icuslbor. Old French -iquebor. Middle English -ik English -ic English hierarchic From hierarchy + -ic.