[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/hierarchical/)

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# hierarchical

adjective

«hierarchical» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Arranged in levels or ranks, from the top to the bottom, with each level more important or powerful than the one below. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hierarchical/#m1)
2. (science) Arranged in groups inside bigger groups, like a family tree. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hierarchical/#m2)

### In the lessons

In history and citizenship, feudal society was hierarchical (king, lords, knights, peasants). In science, living things are sorted in a hierarchical way (kingdom, class, order, family, genus, species). In computing, folders inside folders are hierarchical. Schools and armies are hierarchical too.

### Examples

- The army is a hierarchical organisation, with generals at the top. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hierarchical/#x1)
- Medieval society was hierarchical: the king, then the lords, then the peasants. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hierarchical/#x2)
- Living things are classified in a hierarchical system. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hierarchical/#x3)
- Folders on a computer are arranged in a hierarchical way. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hierarchical/#x4)
- In the hierarchical world of Wonderland, the King and Queen of Hearts rule the cards. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hierarchical/#x5)
- A family tree is a hierarchical diagram. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hierarchical/#x6)

### Note

Adjective from «hierarchy» (HY-er-ar-kee). Pronounced hy-er-AR-ki-kul. Spelling trap: «hier» (not «heir» or «higher»). In maths and science, a tree diagram is a good picture of something hierarchical.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «hierarchical» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hierarchical/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«hierarchical» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/hierarchical.html) on Mova free.