hierarchical
adj.organized into different levels of importance or power. In this kind of system, people or things at the top have more authority than those at the bottom.
adj.arranged in order of rank, grade, or class. Often describes social, corporate, or biological structures where power or complexity increases at higher levels.
“The company has a very hierarchical structure.”
“In a strictly hierarchical organization, employees must follow a clear chain of command when reporting issues.”
“Traditional military units maintain a hierarchical system to ensure that orders are executed efficiently and that responsibility is clearly assigned during high-pressure operations.”
Typically used attributively before a noun; often paired with 'structure', 'system', or 'society'.
“In the hierarchical and patriarchal university setting , power dynamics and inequalities must be addressed so people feel comfortable reporting and disclosing incidents to available support services.”
From hierarchy + -ical, compare French hiérarchique.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.