BUREAU

noun (plural ~s; also ~x) Etymology: French, desk, cloth covering for desks, from Old French burel woolen cloth, from Old French *bure, from Late Latin burra shaggy cloth Date: 1699 1. writing desk , a low chest of drawers for use in a bedroom, 2. a specialized administrative unit, a branch of a newspaper, newsmagazine, or wire service in an important news center, a usually commercial agency that serves as an intermediary especially for exchanging information or coordinating activities