a system of government or management in which decisions are made by state officials or administrative agents rather than by elected representatives
example
The effectiveness of the bureaucracy can significantly impact how quickly citizens receive essential services from the government.
synonyms
administrationregulationgovernance
word origin — The word 'bureaucracy' originates from the French word 'bureau' meaning 'desk' or 'office' and the Greek word 'kratos' meaning 'power' or 'rule'.
SAT Vocabulary Level 1 — Set 197
Set 197 of SAT Vocabulary Level 1 covers 5 words: bureaucracy, debris, advocacy, dissertation, counterpart. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.
bureaucracy · noun/bjʊˈrɑ Kr ə si/
a system of government or management in which decisions are made by state officials or administrative agents rather than by elected representatives
The effectiveness of the bureaucracy can significantly impact how quickly citizens receive essential services from the government.
Synonyms: administration, regulation, governance
Origin: The word 'bureaucracy' originates from the French word 'bureau' meaning 'desk' or 'office' and the Greek word 'kratos' meaning 'power' or 'rule'.
debris · noun/dəˈbri/
scattered pieces of waste or remains
After the storm passed, the streets were covered in debris from the fallen trees and broken branches.
Synonyms: waste, remains, rubble
Origin: from French 'débris', meaning 'to break off, break down', derived from 'débrier', from 'dé-', indicating removal, and 'brier', a form of 'briser' meaning 'to break'.
advocacy · noun/ˈæd.və.keɪ.si/
the act of supporting or promoting a cause or proposal
The organization focuses on environmental advocacy to raise awareness about climate change.
Synonyms: support, promotion, backing
Origin: The word 'advocacy' originates from the Latin 'advocatia', meaning 'a calling to one's aid', which is derived from 'advocare', meaning 'to call upon'.
dissertation · noun/ˌdɪsərˈteɪʃən/
a long formal written treatise, especially one written for a doctoral degree
After years of research and writing, she finally submitted her dissertation on climate change policies.
Synonyms: thesis, treatise, paper
Origin: from Latin 'dissertatio', meaning 'discussion', from 'disserere' meaning 'to discuss'
counterpart · noun/ˈkaʊntərpɑrt/
a person or thing that corresponds to or has the same function as another
The CEO of the American company held a virtual meeting with her counterpart in Japan to discuss the upcoming project.
Synonyms: equivalent, peer, correlation
Origin: Middle French 'contrepartie', from 'contre-' (against) + 'partie' (part)