hierocracy


Also found in: Thesaurus, Legal, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

hi·er·oc·ra·cy

 (hī′ə-rŏk′rə-sē, hī-rŏk′-)
n. pl. hi·er·oc·ra·cies
Government by the clergy; ecclesiastical rule.

hi′er·o·crat′ic (hī′ər-ə-krăt′ĭk, hī′rə-krăt′-), hi′er·o·crat′i·cal adj.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

hierocracy

(ˌhaɪəˈrɒkrəsɪ)
n, pl -cies
(Ecclesiastical Terms) government by priests or ecclesiastics
hierocratic, ˌhieroˈcratical adj
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

hi•er•oc•ra•cy

(ˌhaɪ əˈrɒk rə si, haɪˈrɒk-)

n., pl. -cies.
rule or government by priests or ecclesiastics.
[1785–95]
hi•er•o•crat•ic (ˌhaɪ ər əˈkræt ɪk, ˌhaɪ rə-) hi`er•o•crat′i•cal, adj.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

hierocracy

ecclesiarchy.
See also: Catholicism
-Ologies & -Isms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.hierocracy - a ruling body composed of clergy
theocracy - a political unit governed by a deity (or by officials thought to be divinely guided)
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
References in periodicals archive ?
The country has evolved from an often hateful hierocracy to a seat of social liberalism.
In recent years, the Supreme Leader and the hierocracy as a whole have grown increasingly at odds with Ahmadinejad's policies and his overall stewardship of Iran's economy and foreign policy.
hierocracy. The Iranian government should allow active dialogue among its
"The Making of Made People: The Prehistoric Evolution of Hierocracy among the Northern Tiwa of New Mexico." PhD diss., University of Michigan, 2004.
Muhammad Reza Pahlavi, the shah of Iran from 1941 to 1979, would embrace this policy in his efforts to mend governmental relations with the hierocracy.
Thus, regarding the broader issue of whether there were more numerous persecutions of Jews in Shi i than in Sunni lands,(55) this munazara lends support to the impression substantiated by Judeo-Persian chronicles,(56) namely that the Jews (and all religious minorities) in Shi i realms felt increasing pressures commensurate with the consolidation and growth in power of the Shi i hierocracy.(57)