hierarchy

HY-er-ark-ee

meaning in plain English

A way to organize people or things where some have more power or importance than others, like a pyramid with layers.

Think of a pyramid of people—boss at the tip, staff below— that’s a hierarchy.

for example

In our company’s hierarchy, the CEO is at the top, then managers, then regular workers at the bottom.

Think of a school lunch table where the popular kids sit closest to the teacher—those spots show a hierarchy of who gets the most attention. Even if no one talks about it, the order is still there, deciding who talks first or gets the best food.