English Reference
Noun

bureaucrat

n.
C1 Advanced US /ˈbjʊɹəˌkɹæt/ UK /bjˈɔːɹəʊkɹˌæt/ bu·reau·crat UK spelling bureaucrat's, bureaucrat's Business

n.a person who works in a large government or company and follows strict rules and procedures. They often deal with paperwork and official forms.

n.a person who works in a large organization, particularly a government, and is responsible for the routine administrative tasks of the organization.


SIMPLE

The bureaucrat processed my passport application quickly.

CONTEXTUAL

The new bureaucrat spent hours reviewing the safety reports before signing the final approval.

COMPLEX

While the bureaucrat was efficient in following protocol, critics argued that the rigid adherence to red tape stifled the very innovation the department was meant to foster.

But many governments outside the P5 will have trouble accepting a passive bureaucrat who simply follows orders.

The Conversation· 9 Sept 2026

He criticised social media users unfairly attacking a senior female bureaucrat, including over her salary.

The Guardian· 8 Sept 2026

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *péh₂wr̥ Proto-Hellenic *pāwər Ancient Greek πῦρ (pûr) Proto-Indo-European *-rós Ancient Greek -ρός (-rós) Ancient Greek πῠρρός (pŭrrhós)bor. Latin burrus Latin burra Old French *bure Proto-Indo-European *-lós Proto-Italic *-elos Latin -ulus Latin -ellus Old French -el Old French burel French bureau Proto-Indo-European *kret- Ancient Greek κρᾰ́τος (krắtos) Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-i-eh₂ Proto-Hellenic *-íā Ancient Greek -ῐ́ᾱ (-ĭ́ā) Ancient Greek -κρᾰτῐ́ᾱ (-krătĭ́ā)lbor. French -cratie French bureaucratie French bureaucratebor. English bureaucrat From French bureaucrate, equivalent to bureau + -crat.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin French bureaucrate
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Occasional
Updated