French word

bureaucrate

Pronunciation

IPA/byʁokʁat/

Meaning

  • noun (m./f.)bureaucrat

Example

C'est un bureaucrate compétent.

He is a competent bureaucrat.

Illustration for bureaucrate (bureaucrat)

More examples

Les bureaucrates demandent souvent des justificatifs.

Bureaucrats often ask for supporting documents.

Core concept

A desk-based official managing records, forms, and everyday procedures for a public institution.

Common phrases

  • les bureaucrates

    the bureaucrats

  • un bureaucrate du gouvernement

    a government bureaucrat

Similar words

fonctionnaire: A public-sector employee working for a national or local authority.
agent: An organizational staff member assigned to a particular function.
employé: A company or organizational employee performing everyday administrative work.
responsable: An employee accountable for managing a department or area of work.

Definition in French

Personne travaillant dans l'administration publique, chargée de tâches routinières et de la gestion des dossiers.

Word origin

Bureaucrate follows the formation of bureaucratie by combining bureau with -crate, a learned element ultimately related to Greek kratos, 'power'.

Usage tips

  • When applied to a person, bureaucrate can suggest excessive attachment to rules and paperwork, not merely employment in public administration.

Related words

Word lists with this word