Etymology

From Latin hierarchia, from Ancient Greek ἱεραρχία ‎(hierarkhía, “rule of a high priest”), from ἱεράρχης ‎(hierárkhēs, “high priest”), from ἱερεύς ‎(hiereús, “priest”) + ἀρχή ‎(arkhḗ, “rule”) (compare -archia).