How Do You Spell HIEROCRASY?

Pronunciation: [hˈa͡ɪ͡əɹəkɹəsi] (IPA)

The word "hierocrasy" refers to a religious hierarchy, or a system of ranking within a religious organization. Its phonetic transcription in IPA is /ˌhaɪ.əˈrɒk.rə.si/, which spells out the pronunciation of each syllable. The initial "hie" sounds like "high," followed by the stressed syllable "roc" with a short "o" as in "pot." The final two syllables are pronounced with a short "a" as in "father" and a weak stress on the second-to-last syllable. The spelling of this word reflects its Greek roots and religious connotations.

HIEROCRASY Meaning and Definition

1. Hierocrasy refers to a system of government or social hierarchy where religious or spiritual authorities hold ultimate power, influence, and control over political and social matters. Derived from the Greek words "hieros" meaning sacred and "kratos" meaning power, hierocrasy implies a governance structure where religious leaders possess supreme authority and play a decisive role in shaping policies and making decisions related to societal affairs. In such a system, the religious elite typically hold significant sway over the legal, educational, and moral spheres, often intertwining religious doctrines with political governance.

   Hierocrasy is commonly associated with both ancient and traditional societies, where religious institutions exert a dominant influence on the state and society at large. This form of governance can be seen in theocracies, where religious leaders directly govern the state as representatives of the divine or hold substantial power behind the scenes, influencing the decision-making process of political leaders. Hierocrasy can also encompass the influence of religious organizations on various aspects of society without direct political control.

   While hierocrasy can be perceived favorably as it provides a moral and ethical framework for governance, it can also lead to potential issues, such as the stifling of dissent, limited individual freedoms, and an emphasis on conformity to religious beliefs. In modern societies, hierocrasy is less prevalent and is often superseded by secular governance structures, yet remnants of its influence may still exist in certain regions where religion plays a significant role in shaping political and social dynamics.

2. Government by priests; hierarchy.

   Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.

Common Misspellings for HIEROCRASY

• hierocracy
• gierocrasy
• bierocrasy
• nierocrasy
• jierocrasy
• uierocrasy
• yierocrasy
• huerocrasy
• hjerocrasy
• hkerocrasy
• hoerocrasy
• h9erocrasy
• h8erocrasy
• hiwrocrasy
• hisrocrasy
• hidrocrasy
• hirrocrasy
• hi4rocrasy
• hi3rocrasy
• hieeocrasy

Etymology of HIEROCRASY

The word "hierocrasy" has its roots in two ancient Greek words: "hieros", meaning "sacred" or "holy", and "kratos", meaning "rule" or "power". The combining of these words gives us "hierokratia" (ἱεροκρατία) in Greek, which translates to "the rule or power of the sacred". From Greek, the term passed into Latin as "hierocratia" and then into English as "hierocrasy". "Hiero-" is often used as a prefix to refer to sacred or religious matters, while "-cracy" indicates a form of government or rule. So, "hierocrasy" essentially refers to a system or government where religious or sacred authority holds power or dominates.

Similar spelling words for HIEROCRASY

• hairgrass,
• harkers,
• HIREGRS,
• Hierocracy.