hierarch

Meaning

1. One who has high and controlling authority in sacred things; the chief of a sacred order.
2. A title of bishops in their role as ordinaries (arbiters of canon law) over their respective dioceses.

Synonyms

high priest

archpriest

prelate

primate

archbishop

Translations

ιεράρχης

prelado

prélature

hiérarque

mitrat

Hohenpriester

primat

primat

jerarca

primate

archiprêtre

prélat

arxipreste

arciprete

cardenal

Etymology

Cognate with Sanskrit: इषिर

Cognate with Oscan: 𐌀𐌉𐌔𐌖𐌔𐌉𐌔

In summary

From Medieval Latin hierarcha, from Ancient Greek ἱεράρχης (hierárkhēs) Derived from ἱερός (hierós, “holy”) + -άρχης (-árkhēs, “ruler”, “leader”).
ἱερός from Proto-Hellenic *iherós, from Proto-Indo-European *ish₁ros. There are a number of candidate cognates with this word. Compare Sanskrit इषिर (iṣira, “vigorous, fresh, blooming”) and Oscan 𐌀𐌉𐌔𐌖𐌔𐌉𐌔 (aisusis).