← Back to Fala2Me

hidden hierarchy

[/ˈhɪdən ˈhaɪərɑːrki/]
nounpl: hidden hierarchies
hierarquia oculta
1. A system of ranking or authority that exists but is not formally acknowledged or openly displayed
The company had a hidden hierarchy where informal networks held more power than the official organizational chart.
A empresa tinha uma hierarquia oculta onde as redes informais detinham mais poder do que o organograma oficial.
2. Unspoken social structures that determine influence and status within a group
In the classroom, there was a hidden hierarchy among students that the teacher wasn't aware of.
Na sala de aula, havia uma hierarquia oculta entre os alunos da qual o professor não estava ciente.
NYC Slang
the real chain of command / under-the-radar structure
Synonyms
informal hierarchyshadow structurecovert rankingimplicit power structure
Antonyms
formal hierarchyexplicit hierarchytransparent structureopen hierarchy

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
hierarquia oculta
most common usage
São Paulo
hierarquia invisível
alternative regional variant
Portugal
hierarquia oculta
standard European Portuguese usage

Related Idioms & Phrases

the elephant in the room
behind the scenes
beneath the surface
the real deal
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →