Dictionary

pecking order en · NOUN

Etymology

Calque of German Hackordnung.

Meanings

1. The natural ranking of social status and dominance occurring in a group of birds.
2. (broadly, figuratively) The usually informal hierarchy of authority, command, or social status, as determined by the especially natural propensity for domination of different members of a specific group over each other, such as older brothers and sisters over their younger siblings.

Forms

Antonyms

equality

Relateds

social climbing · exclusivity · snobbery · social ladder

Synonyms

hierarchy

Translations (11)

da hakkeorden (usually informal hierarchy of authority or command) · de Hackabstand (usually informal hierarchy of authority or command) · sv hackordning (usually informal hierarchy of authority or command) · de Hackordnung (usually informal hierarchy of authority or command) · pl porządek dziobania (usually informal hierarchy of authority or command) · nl pikorde (usually informal hierarchy of authority or command) · ru сложи́вшийся поря́док подчине́ния (usually informal hierarchy of authority or command) · ru поря́док клева́ния (usually informal hierarchy of authority or command) · fi nokkimisjärjestys (usually informal hierarchy of authority or command) · is goggunarröð (usually informal hierarchy of authority or command) · ru неофициа́льная иера́рхия (usually informal hierarchy of authority or command)