bureaucrat

[ byoor-uh-krat ]

noun

1. an official of a bureaucracy.
2. an official who works by fixed routine without exercising intelligent judgment.

bureaucrat

/ ˈbjʊərəˌkræt; bjʊəˈrɒkrəˌtɪzəm /

noun

1. an official in a bureaucracy
2. an official who adheres to bureaucracy, esp rigidly

bureaucrat

1. Someone who works in or controls a bureaucracy . The term is often used negatively to describe a petty, narrow-minded person. ( See also conformity and organization man (see also organization man ).)

Derived Forms

• bureaucratism, noun

Other Words From

• bu·reau·crat·ism [byoor, -, uh, -krat-iz-, uh, m, by, oo, -, rok, -r, uh, -tiz-], noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of bureaucrat¹

From the French word bureaucrate, dating back to 1835–45. See bureau, -crat

Example Sentences

He has vowed to weaken civil service rules that protect federal bureaucrats from being fired if they disagree with their bosses’ decisions.

From Los Angeles Times

"They are not people who think they know better as unelected bureaucrats."

From BBC

For all of Trump's railing against "unelected bureaucrats" holding political influence, he has now appointed a pair of unelected billionaires to propose changes to the same agencies that regulate and fund their companies.

From Salon

Trump has also signaled that he wants to eliminate the bureaucrats who set accreditation standards for colleges and universities.

From Los Angeles Times

Trump has only just begun filling out the thousands of jobs that open up with a new presidential administration, not including the senior-level career bureaucrats he has said he will replace.

From BBC

Related Words

• administrator
• civil servant
• functionary
• politician
• public servant