Hierarch

Hierarch refers to a high-ranking member of a hierarchical organization, especially in religious contexts. In Christian usage, a hierarch generally denotes a bishop or other senior cleric who exercises jurisdiction over a diocese or a wider region, such as an archbishop, metropolitan, or patriarch. The term is derived from Greek and is used in several Orthodox and Eastern Catholic languages.

The word derives from the Greek hierarchēs, from hieros meaning holy and arkhōn meaning ruler. The root appears in English in hierarchy and hierarch.

In religious practice, hierarchs hold ecclesiastical authority through sacramental duties, governance of dioceses, and leadership within church synods. Roles vary across denominations; in many Orthodox churches, the hierarchy includes bishops overseeing other clergy, with metropolitan or patriarch ranks above.

In secular usage, the term can be extended metaphorically to leaders within large organizations, but its formal use remains primarily religious.