antihierarchism
|an-ti-hi-er-arch-ism|
/ˌæn.ti.haɪˈær.kɪ.zəm/
opposition to hierarchy
Etymology
'antihierarchism' originates from Modern English, composed of the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti-' meaning 'against') plus 'hierarchism' (from 'hierarchy' + '-ism').
'antihierarchism' was formed in English by prefixing 'anti-' to 'hierarchism' (itself from 'hierarchy' + the suffix '-ism'), extending the sense 'against hierarchy' from earlier specific oppositions (e.g., ecclesiastical hierarchy) to broader social and political contexts.
Initially, opposition to specific institutional hierarchies (often ecclesiastical) was a primary sense; over time the term broadened to refer to general opposition to hierarchical systems and to doctrines advocating non-hierarchical arrangements.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
opposition to hierarchical organization or authority; the belief or practice of rejecting ranked or tiered structures in social, political, or organizational contexts.
Their antihierarchism led them to design a flat organization with rotating leadership.
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Noun 2
a doctrine or political stance advocating for non-hierarchical, egalitarian arrangements (often used in discussions of social movements or political philosophy).
In political theory, antihierarchism is sometimes contrasted with models that emphasize centralized authority.
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Last updated: 2025/09/02 03:50