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hierarch

hierarch

1 9.9
A person who has a high position in a church or other group
  • noun
  • /ˈhaɪərɑrk/
translation icon : jerarca
  • The bishop is a hierarch within the church, overseeing several local congregations.
  • hierarch of the church

So I think that's why dictators, hierarchs need to be paranoid.

Examples

  • Furthermore, the Church council that selected Gurii chose two other new hierarchs for the region, each in the mold of Gurii with long careers of dedicated service to the Church.

    Academic text (2007)
  • We see this in icons of hierarchs.

    Blog text (15)
  • Male Western hierarchs had for too long dominated the transmission of the faith.

    Academic text (1991)
  • In return, Orthodox hierarchs slavishly supported the government's foreign and domestic policies.

    Academic text (1997)
  • One feature of this last election was the complete failure of the Vatican hierarchs to dictate the vote to the flock.

    Blog text (21)
  • Its presbyterate is disappearing and, finally, some of the older hierarchs have at last had the courage to speak out now that they do not have jobs to lose.

    Blog text (6)
  • If they continue to let their fates be decided by octogenarian hierarchs in Rome, some bishops may find themselves sharing a cell block with Monsignor Lynn!

    Blog text (10)
  • Whereas in the past, the major channel of information between Rome and other churches was at the level of nuncios, ambassadors, and influential hierarchs, the new networks gave voice to pastoral agents working directly with the poor.

    Academic text (2008)
  • This is not entirely surprising insofar as both sides are very much products of the Soviet era, with the church still largely dominated by individual hierarchs whose biographies are very familiar to the successors of the KGB and who were appointed under Communist Party guidance.

    Academic text (2007)
  • Nonetheless, in a move to tip the balance of the revolution away from its liberal course, the episcopacy backed a brief counterrevolution in 1913 and confirmed the opinion of most revolutionary leaders that church hierarchs were unremitting enemies of the Revolution.

    Academic text (1999)

Synonyms

chief
vshierarch
1.9

A person who leads a group or community

may mean any high-ranked office in an organization rather than only the top leader
superior
vshierarch
102 4.9

A person who has higher rank or authority in a group

is in the higher levels of a formal structure rather than merely above others
religious leader
vshierarch
43 3.4

A person who guides a group's religious beliefs and practices

also applies to high positions in organizations, not only within faith communities
top dog
vshierarch
  • Informal
21 4.6

A person with the most power in a group

is a neutral term for any high position rather than an informal dominance label
patriarch
vshierarch
20 6.7

A man who leads a family or group with authority

covers formal institutional roles rather than family or tribal leadership
high priest
vshierarch
15 7.2

A senior religious leader who leads important ceremonies for a religion

refers to high positions generally rather than the single highest religious office
prelate
vshierarch
  • Jargon
12 9.1

A senior church leader who has authority over other clergy

is a general high office, not limited to clergy jurisdiction
head honcho
vshierarch
  • Slang
9 6.3

A person who is in charge of a company or group

names a high-level position without the informal tone of this phrase
primate
vshierarch
  • Formal
6 9.8

A senior bishop who is in charge of other bishops in a country or region

means a high position across contexts rather than a regional church leader
high-up
vshierarch
5 7.1

A person with an important job in an organization

names a formal high place in an organization rather than mere influence
higher-up
vshierarch
  • Informal
4 4.2

A person with more power in a company or group

covers both religious and organizational top positions, not only organizational ones
supremo
vshierarch
3 8.4

A person who is the most important leader in a group or organization

is used for high positions generally, not only the single top authority
king of the hill
vshierarch
  • Informal
2 4.4

A person or group who is top and most powerful after a competition

refers to formal high positions established by an organization rather than temporary dominance
archpriest
vshierarch
1 9.6

A senior church leader in charge of several churches or a cathedral

is the broader term for any high position, not only this church office

Antonyms

21 4.8

Lower in rank or importance and under someone's control

How High-Ranking

hierarch
1 9.9
executive
533 4.5
director
3.0
manager
1.6
supervisor
346 2.8
member
1.4

Surface Forms

hierarch singular
hierarchs plural

Morphology

hierarch = hierarchy (opaque) = hier + arch

The word is built from Greek combining forms unfamiliar in isolation and is not transparently derivable by an average learner from known English base words.

Etymology

Hierarch comes from Greek parts hier- meaning 'sacred' and -arch meaning 'ruler', the same idea you see in hierarchy and monarch. So a hierarch is a person at the top of a system, often a religious leader or a top official.