Where does “hierarchal” come from?
Hierarchal derives from English hierarch, from Ancient Greek ἱεράρχης, combining ἱερός (sacred) and ἀρχή (beginning or rule), ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root -eh₂.
hierarchal (English): Relating to a hierarch
Ancestry of “hierarchal”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | hierarchy | A body of authoritative officials organized in... |
| 2 | Middle English | ierarchie | — |
| 3 | Old French | ierarchie | — |
| 4 | Late Latin | ierarchia | — |
| 5 | Latin | hierarchia | hierarchy |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | ἱεραρχία | spiritual superiority; prelacy, prelature;... |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | ἱεράρχης | high priest; hierarch; bishop |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | -άρχης | -arch |
| 9 | Ancient Greek | -ής | adjective suffix |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | -ēs | Primarily forms adjectival bahuvrīhi compounds |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | -ess | — |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | -os | Creates action nouns or result nouns from verbs;... |