Pecking Order Definition
pĕkĭng
noun
A hierarchy among birds, as a flock of hens, based on aggressive pecking in which the most dominant bird pecks all others, the second most dominant bird pecks all others except the most dominant, etc.
Webster's New World
A hierarchy of the members of any group according to relative power, importance, etc.
The office pecking order.
Webster's New World
The usually informal hierarchy of authority or command, often partial or approximate, 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.
Wiktionary
Synonyms:
Other Word Forms of Pecking Order
Noun
Singular:
pecking order
Plural:
pecking orders
Find Similar Words
Find similar words to pecking order using the buttons below.