Bureaucracy
/ˌbjʊə.roʊˈkræ.si/noun
A system of government or administration managed by departments, officials, and rules.
Did you know?The word was coined in 18th-century French as a critique of government by desks and offices, not a neutral term, so its very birth was political satire.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
grc
krátos
“power, rule, strength”
Ancient Greek
grc
bureau
“rough cloth, then a desk-covered office table in French usage”
18th Century
fr
bureaucratie
“government by officials and offices; rule of the office”
Late 18th Century
en
bureaucracy
“administration by appointed officials, often with excessive procedure”
Modern English
en
bureaucracy
“a system of administration organized by departments and formal rules”
Explore more surprising origins