Basic Details
Word: Hierarchical
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Arranged in levels or ranks, one above another, such as the ranks in an army or the posts in a company.
Synonyms: ranked, graded, tiered
Antonyms: egalitarian, equal
How to Spell Hierarchical
Syllables: hi - er - ar - chi - cal
Tricky part: It starts hi, not hei, and the ch is said like k. Students also miss the second r and write hierachical, or drop c to write hierarchial.
Watch out for: heirarchical, hierarchial, hierachical
Memory tip: Build it from hierarchy: hi + er + archy, then turn y into ical. Remember that 'hi' says hello first, then 'er', then 'arch'.
Usage Examples
Example 1: A school has a hierarchical system, with the principal at the top.
Example 2: Living things are sorted in a hierarchical way: kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus and species.
Example 3: The company replaced its hierarchical structure with small teams.
Fun Fact
Hierarchy comes from the Greek hierarkhes, a high priest, from hieros (sacred) and arkhein (to rule); it first described ranks within the church.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Choose the correct letters to fill in the blanks:
h_er_rch_cal
a) e, a, i
b) i, a, i
c) i, e, i
d) i, a, e
Show answer
b) i, a, i. The word begins hier, keeps the ar of archy, and ends in ical.
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word hierarchical as used in the sentence:
The army has a strictly hierarchical structure, with every soldier answering to a senior officer.
a) egalitarian
b) ranked
c) graded
d) ordered
Show answer
a) egalitarian. Ranked, graded and ordered describe levels; egalitarian means everyone is treated as equal.
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the meaning of the only correctly spelt word:
1. hierarchical 2. arguement 3. maintainance 4. pronounciation
a) the work of keeping something in good condition
b) the way a word is said
c) arranged in ranks or levels, one above another
d) a disagreement in which people give reasons
Show answer
c) arranged in ranks or levels, one above another. Argument loses the e of argue, maintenance ends in tenance and pronunciation has no o after the first n; hierarchical is correct.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of these is a hierarchical list?
a) red, blue, green
b) captain, vice-captain, player
c) Monday, Friday, Sunday
d) apple, mango, grape
Show answer
b) captain, vice-captain, player
2. Which word shares the Greek root meaning 'to rule' with hierarchical?
a) monarchy
b) archery
c) arcade
d) parchment
Show answer
a) monarchy
