Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

hierarch

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.82 in modern English

Syllables: hi-er-ar-ch
IPA

16

Scrabble Score

8

Letters

4

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

One who has high and controlling authority in sacred things; the chief of a sacred order.

noun

A title of bishops in their role as ordinaries (arbiters of canon law) over their respective dioceses.

Example Sentences

"The law states that the local ordinary can give to any Catholic priest the faculty to bless the marriages of non-Catholic Eastern Christians if the faithful voluntarily ask for it and the priest prudently informs the appropriate hierarch."

Etymology

From Medieval Latin hierarcha, from Ancient Greek ἱεράρχης (hierárkhēs) Derived from ἱερός (hierós, “holy”) + -άρχης (-árkhēs, “ruler”, “leader”). ἱερός from Proto-Hellenic *iherós, from Proto-Indo-European *ish₁ros. There are a number of candidate cognates with this word. Compare Sanskrit इषिर (iṣira, “vigorous, fresh, blooming”) and Oscan 𐌀𐌉𐌔𐌖𐌔𐌉𐌔 (aisusis).

Origin

Source language: Ancient Greek

Word Breakdown

Root: hierarcha, ἱεράρχης, *iherós, *ish₁ros
Suffix: ἱερός

Inflected Forms

hierarchs (plural)

Derived Forms

hierarchal hierarchate hierarchic hierarchical

Frequently Paired Words

hierarchy patriarch patriarchy

Synonyms

ordinary archpriest high priest prelate primate

Questions

What does hierarch mean?: One who has high and controlling authority in sacred things; the chief of a sacred order.
Where does hierarch come from?: It is traced to Ancient Greek.

How to pronounce hierarch

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