hiero-, hier-

A pain in the sacrum or the "os sacrum" which is the "sacred bone"; so called because it was thought never to disintegrate or break up: Dr. Smith described Mark's suffering as a condition of hieralgia that affected the bone which formed the posterior section of the pelvis.

The "os sacrum" is a large triangular bone formed by the fusion of the five sacral vertebrae at the base of the vertebral column and lying between the hip bones at the back part of the pelvic cavity.

1. Someone who has rule or authority in holy things or places; an ecclesiastical ruler or potentate: Hierarchs include a chief priest, a a chief prelate, or an archbishop.
2. An archangel: A hierarch can also be Christ as commander of the celestial beings.

Pertaining to something that is arranged according to various criteria into different levels or layers: It has been said that only a hierarchical society with a free group of people at the top can produce works of art.

In Adam's hierarchical values, honesty is the most important essential.

1. Regarding a devine messenger who belongs to the angelic hierarchy: In the hierarchical ranking system of angels, the higher ranking angels have more power and authority than lower ones.
2. Relating to a priestly order, or body of ecclesiastical rulers: John viewed the hierarchical scripts in the monastery museum.
3. Pertaining to a regular gradation of orders, classes, or ranks: Long ago it was thought that the hierarchical upper class could create works of paintings and music.

Relating to how a hierarchy is arranged: In the firm, there was a hierarchically organised system whereby the older workers had more fringe benefits than the younger ones.

The beliefs or authority of an organisation of people at different ranks in an administrative body: The system of hierarchism allows or gives the right to certain people to give orders or to make decisions.

An adherent or supporter of a hierarchy: Adam read in his book about a hierarchist who was a strong supporter of a groups of authoritative officials organised and placed with a specific status

To arrange in a hierarchy or gradation of orders: The town administrators decided to hierarchize methods of alternative environmentally friendly modes of transportation in their area.

1. ?riestly rule or government; a system of ecclesiastical rule: A hierarchy can be the dominion in holy things.
2 . The collective body of ecclesiastical rulers; A hierarchy is an organized group of priests or clergy in successive orders or grades.
3. A body of persons or things ranked in grades, orders, or classes, one above another: A hierarchy can be specifically exemplified in, in natural science and logic as a system or series of terms of successive rank (as classes, orders, genera, species, etc.) and is used in classification.

1. Referring to a cursive form of Egyptian hieroglyphics: Hieratic scripts were used especially by the priests.
2. Regarding the adherence to fixed types or methods; highly restrained and formal: So many hieratic sculptures leave the viewer curiously unmoved.
3. Written or belonging to a cursive form of ancient Egyptian writing: There are amen hieratic Egyptian script.
4. Descriptive of an association with the priesthood or priests which is, sacred, characteristic, or used by priests: Hieratic gestures can be signals, actions, or gestigulating."

In some countries, priests form a hieratic group with extensive political power, and even, sometimes, forming a hierocracy.

5. Fixed, formal, and stylized in a traditional way, e.g. as ancient Egyptian art is.
6. Pertaining to or associated with sacred people or offices: sacerdotal: In the museum, Judy viewed many hieratic items that belonged to priests of long ago, like certain books, robes, and pens.
7. Etymology: from Latin hieraticus, "priestly"; borrowed from Greek hieratikos, "priestly" and ultimately from hieros, "holy".

Papyrus of the finest quality, in ancient Egypt appropriated to sacred writings: Hieratica was a type of paper which was eleven inches wide and used chiefly for sacred manuscripts.

1. Characterizing how something is done or used by priests: The hieratically sacred worship was performed as expected."
2. A descriptive term for how something proceeds in a very formal manner in style and adhering closely to those standards: The reception following the wedding was hieratically correct in every way.

1. A government by church clergy or priests; ecclesiastical rule: Hierocracy includes the doctrine that the Pope holds secular rule as well as spiritual power.
2. A body of religious clergy that rules a place or country: Gregory was brought up by the hierocracy of the Catholic Church and kept up the strong relationships to the church officials.

Descriptive term for a government made up of ruling priests: Mr. Big read a book about a hierocratic country that was led by religious dignitaries or ecclesiastics.

A temple slave in ancient Greece: In ancient Greece, a hierodule was an enslaved person kept in or associated with a temple, especially as a prostitute.

A hierodule was a slave serving in an ancient temple, as in Greece or Anatolia, in the service of a specific deity.

A hierodule was a,slave (of either sex) was also said to dwell in a temple and was dedicated to the service of a god.