ENGLISH
REFERENCE

bureaucracy

n.
US //bjʊˈɹɑkɹəsi// UK //bjɔːɹˈɒkɹəsˌi// bu·reau·cra·cy
  1. 1 administrative system (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a system of government or business where many people and departments follow strict rules to get work done.

    a system of administration based on organization into bureaus, division of labor, and a hierarchy of authority.

    Example

    The university bureaucracy makes it difficult for students to change their majors quickly.

    Example

    Modern states rely on a complex bureaucracy to manage public services and ensure that regulations are applied consistently across the population.
  2. 2 excessive rules (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    too many complicated rules and processes that make it hard to achieve something.

    excessive adherence to official rules and routine, often resulting in delay or inaction.

    Example

    I had to deal with so much bureaucracy just to get a simple parking permit.

    Example

    The entrepreneur complained that the sheer amount of bureaucracy involved in starting a small business was enough to discourage most investors.
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  1. 3 the officials (n.)
    C1 Advanced Formal

    the group of people who work in and manage a large administrative system.

    the collective body of administrators and officials, especially within a government framework.

    Example

    The state bureaucracy was slow to respond to the needs of the local community.

    Example

    Tensions between the elected politicians and the permanent bureaucracy often lead to significant delays in implementing new legislative policies.
Origin

From bureau + -cracy, from French bureaucratie, coined by Jean Claude Marie Vincent de Gournay from bureau (“office”) + -cratie (“rule of”).

Word family

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