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jerarquía

heh-rahr-KEE-ahxeɾaɾˈki.a

“jerarquía” means “hierarchy” in Spanish (A system where people or things are ranked by importance.).

hierarchy

Also: pecking order, rank
NounfB1
General
A stack of colorful wooden blocks of different sizes, with the largest at the bottom and the smallest at the top.

📝 In Action

En esta empresa, la jerarquía es muy estricta.

A2

In this company, the hierarchy is very strict.

Los leones tienen una jerarquía social bien definida.

B1

Lions have a well-defined social hierarchy.

Para resolver el problema matemático, sigue la jerarquía de las operaciones.

B2

To solve the math problem, follow the order of operations.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • escalafón (roster/rank)
  • orden (order)
  • categoría (category/status)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • jerarquía militar – military hierarchy
  • orden de jerarquía – order of importance
  • respetar la jerarquía – to respect the chain of command

Idioms & Expressions

  • saltarse la jerarquía – To go over someone's head / ignore the proper chain of command.

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "jerarquía" in Spanish:

pecking order→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: jerarquía

Question 1 of 3

Which of these is the correct way to say 'the hierarchy'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
jerárquico(hierarchical) — Adjective
jerarquizar(to prioritize / to organize by rank) — Verb
jerarquización(prioritization / ranking) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
guíadíatecnología
📚 Etymology▼

From the Ancient Greek 'hierarkhia', which described the rule of a high priest. It combines 'hieros' (sacred) and 'arkho' (to rule).

First recorded: 15th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: hierarchyFrench: hiérarchieItalian: gerarchia

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'jerarquía' only for formal settings?

It is more common in formal or professional settings, but it's the standard word to describe any ranked system, even in casual conversation about family or sports.

How do I pronounce the 'j'?

The 'j' in Spanish sounds like a breathy 'h' in English (like in 'hot'), but with a bit more friction in the back of your throat.

Does it have a plural form?

Yes, the plural is 'jerarquías'. Note that when you make it plural, the written accent remains on the 'í'.