Dictionary

bureaucratese en · NOUN

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *péh₂wr̥ Proto-Hellenic *pāwər Ancient Greek πῦρ (pûr) Proto-Indo-European *-rós Proto-Hellenic *-rós Ancient Greek -ρός (-rós) Ancient Greek πῠρρός (pŭrrhós)bor. Latin burrus Latin burra Old French *bure Proto-Indo-European *-lós Proto-Indo-European *-elós Proto-Italic *-elos Latin -lus Latin -ellus Old French -el Old French burel French bureau Proto-Indo-European *kret-der. Ancient Greek κρᾰ́τος (krắtos) Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-i-eh₂ Proto-Hellenic *-íā Ancient Greek -ῐ́ᾱ (-ĭ́ā) Ancient Greek -κρᾰτῐ́ᾱ (-krătĭ́ā)lbor. French -cratie French bureaucratie French bureaucratebor. English bureaucrat Proto-Indo-European *-iskos Proto-Germanic *-iskaz Proto-West Germanic *-iskbor. Late Latin -iscus ▲ Vulgar Latin -iscus Latin -ēnsis Old French -eisbor. Middle English -eys English -ese English bureaucratese From bureaucrat + -ese.

Meanings

1. (derogatory, informal, uncountable) A style of language, used by bureaucrats, that involves jargon or euphemism to the detriment of broader understanding.
   • Help you fill out the application for food stamps and other government programs, break down the discouraging bureaucratese. 2019, Colson Whitehead, The Nickel Boys, Fleet, page 186:
2. (derogatory, informal, uncountable) Wordy, ostentatious talk or writing that resembles bureaucratic writing.
   • The company president's annual statement was complete bureaucratese: it was utterly content-free.

Relateds

bureaucracy · bureaucratically · bureaucrat · bureaucratic · obfuscation · legalese

Synonyms

legalese · officialese

Translations (28)

nl ambtenarees (pejorative term for language typically used by bureaucrats) · de Beamtendeutsch (pejorative term for language typically used by bureaucrats) · de Behördensprache (pejorative term for language resembling that used by bureaucrats) · sv kanslisvenska (pejorative term for language typically used by bureaucrats) · cmn 官話 /官话 (pejorative term for language typically used by bureaucrats) · fr baratin (pejorative term for language resembling that used by bureaucrats) · bg канцела́рски стил (pejorative term for language typically used by bureaucrats) · ru канцеляри́т (pejorative term for language typically used by bureaucrats) · fi kapulakieli (pejorative term for language resembling that used by bureaucrats) · fr charabia (pejorative term for language resembling that used by bureaucrats) · pl żargon biurokratyczny (pejorative term for language resembling that used by bureaucrats) · fi (viranomaisten) kapulakieli (pejorative term for language typically used by bureaucrats) · it burocratese (pejorative term for language typically used by bureaucrats) · de Papierdeutsch (pejorative term for language resembling that used by bureaucrats) · uk канцеля́рська мо́ва (pejorative term for language resembling that used by bureaucrats) · de Behördensprache (pejorative term for language typically used by bureaucrats) · de Amtsdeutsch (pejorative term for language typically used by bureaucrats) · uk канцеля́рська мо́ва (pejorative term for language typically used by bureaucrats) · de Kanzleistil (pejorative term for language resembling that used by bureaucrats) · bg чино́внически ези́к (pejorative term for language typically used by bureaucrats) · fr langue de bois (pejorative term for language typically used by bureaucrats) · de Amtsdeutsch (pejorative term for language resembling that used by bureaucrats) · pl żargon biurokratyczny (pejorative term for language typically used by bureaucrats) · de Beamtendeutsch (pejorative term for language resembling that used by bureaucrats) · de Bürokratensprache (pejorative term for language typically used by bureaucrats) · de Behördendeutsch (pejorative term for language typically used by bureaucrats) · de Verwaltungsjargon (pejorative term for language typically used by bureaucrats) · cmn 官腔 (pejorative term for language typically used by bureaucrats)