Word
bureaucrat
Phoneticsbu·reau·crat, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈbjʊɹəˌkɹæt/
UK/bjˈɔːɹəʊkɹˌæt/
Government
Definition
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.
Examples
“The bureaucrat processed my passport application quickly.”
“The new bureaucrat spent hours reviewing the safety reports before signing the final approval.”
“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.”
Examples
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.”
Real-World Examples
“But many governments outside the P5 will have trouble accepting a passive bureaucrat who simply follows orders.” “He criticised social media users unfairly attacking a senior female bureaucrat, including over her salary.” Etymology
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.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Idioms
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/bureaucrat