adj · 5 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
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Received-Pronunciation:/ˌhaɪəˈɹɑːkɪkəl/
Canada, General-American:/ˌhaɪˈɹɑɹkɪkəl/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Australian:/ˌhɑɪˈɹɐːkɪkəl/
Australian:/ˌhɑɪˈɹaːkɪkəl/
CMU ARPABET:HH AY2 R AA1 R K AH0 K AH0 L
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Pertaining to a hierarchy (a ranking).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: hierarchic, hierarchial
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Classified or arranged according to various criteria into successive ranks or grades.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Examples
She claimed that only a hierarchical society with a leisure class at the top can produce works of 'true' art.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: hierarchic, hierarchial
Antonyms: none provided
3
adj
Meaning 3
Classified or arranged according to various criteria into successive ranks or grades.
Reflecting relationships wholly consisting of subranks subsumed by ranks, a branching pattern of logic modeled like a tree.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: hierarchic, hierarchial
Antonyms: none provided
4
adj
Meaning 4
Pertaining to a hierarch (a high-ranking priest or bishop).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: hierarchial, hierarchic, hierarchal
Antonyms: none provided
5
adjective
Meaning 5
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: hierarchal, hierarchic
Antonyms: nonhierarchical
History
Etymology
From hierarchy + -ical; compare French hiérarchique.
From hierarch + -ical.
Across languages
Translations
48 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Catalan:
jeràrquic
— pertaining to a hierarchy
Czech:
hierarchický
— pertaining to a hierarchy
Danish:
hierarkisk
— pertaining to a hierarchy
Dutch:
hiërarchisch
— pertaining to a hierarchy
Esperanto:
hierarkia
— pertaining to a hierarchy
Finnish:
hierarkkinen
— pertaining to a hierarchy
French:
hiérarchique
— pertaining to a hierarchy
Galician:
xerárquico
— pertaining to a hierarchy
German:
hierarchisch
— pertaining to a hierarchy
Greek:
ιεραρχικός
(ierarchikós)
— pertaining to a hierarchy
Indonesian:
hierarkis
— pertaining to a hierarchy
Italian:
gerarchico
— pertaining to a hierarchy
Macedonian:
хиерархиски
(hierarhiski)
— pertaining to a hierarchy
Macedonian:
чиноследен
(činosleden)
— pertaining to a hierarchy
Malay:
berhierarki
— pertaining to a hierarchy
Manx:
ard-saggyrtagh
— pertaining to a hierarchy
Manx:
ard-chleragh
— pertaining to a hierarchy
Portuguese:
hierárquico
— pertaining to a hierarchy
Romanian:
ierarhic
— pertaining to a hierarchy
Russian:
иерархи́ческий
(ijerarxíčeskij)
— pertaining to a hierarchy
Spanish:
jerárquico
— pertaining to a hierarchy
Swedish:
hierarkisk
— pertaining to a hierarchy
Tagalog:
halpunuanin
— pertaining to a hierarchy
Turkish:
hiyerarşik
— pertaining to a hierarchy
Ukrainian:
ієрархі́чний
(ijerarxíčnyj)
— pertaining to a hierarchy
Welsh:
hierarchaidd
— pertaining to a hierarchy
Finnish:
hierarkkinen
— of or pertaining to an ecclesiastic or priestly order
Greek:
ιεραρχικός
(ierarchikós)
— of or pertaining to an ecclesiastic or priestly order
Indonesian:
hierarkis
— of or pertaining to an ecclesiastic or priestly order
Malay:
berhierarki
— of or pertaining to an ecclesiastic or priestly order
Catalan:
jeràrquic
— classified or arranged into successive ranks or grades
Finnish:
hierarkkinen
— classified or arranged into successive ranks or grades
French:
hiérarchique
— classified or arranged into successive ranks or grades
Galician:
xerárquico
— classified or arranged into successive ranks or grades
German:
hierarchisch
— classified or arranged into successive ranks or grades
Greek:
ιεραρχικός
(ierarchikós)
— classified or arranged into successive ranks or grades
Hungarian:
hierarchikus
— classified or arranged into successive ranks or grades
Indonesian:
hierarkis
— classified or arranged into successive ranks or grades
Italian:
gerarchico
— classified or arranged into successive ranks or grades
Macedonian:
хиерархиски
(hierarhiski)
— classified or arranged into successive ranks or grades
Macedonian:
чиноследен
(činosleden)
— classified or arranged into successive ranks or grades
Malay:
berhierarki
— classified or arranged into successive ranks or grades
Māori:
whai paparanga
— classified or arranged into successive ranks or grades
Polish:
hierarchiczny
— classified or arranged into successive ranks or grades
Portuguese:
hierárquico
— classified or arranged into successive ranks or grades
Swedish:
hierarkisk
— classified or arranged into successive ranks or grades
Turkish:
hiyerarşik
— classified or arranged into successive ranks or grades
Ukrainian:
ієрархі́чний
(ijerarxíčnyj)
— classified or arranged into successive ranks or grades
