(adj) classified according to various criteria into successive levels or layers, Syn. hierarchal, hierarchic, Ant. nonhierarchical, Example:it has been said that only a hierarchical society with a leisure class at the top can produce works of art; in her hierarchical set of values honesty comes first
a. [ Cf. F. hiérarchique. ] Of or pertaining to a hierarchy; ordered in a hierarchy. -- Hi`er*arch`ic*al*ly, adv.Syn. --hierarchical, hierarchal. [ 1913 Webster ]
2. Pertaining to a transitive relation between objects by which they may be ordered into a hierarchy; as, a hierarchical relation. [ PJC ]