[hi.er.ar.chy] n, pl -chies (14c) 1: a division of angels
2. a: a ruling body of clergy organized into orders or ranks each subordinate to the one above it; esp: the bishops of a province or nation b: church government by a hierarchy
3: a body of persons in authority
4: the classification of a group of people according to ability or to economic, social, or professional standing; also: the group so classified
5: a graded or ranked series "Christian ~ of values" "a machine's ~ of responses"