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bureau

bu·reau

bureau

 
 
pronunciation:
byU ro
features:
Word Combinations (noun), Word History, Word Explorer
part of speech: noun
inflections: bureaus, bureaux
definition 1: a chest of drawers, often with a mirror.
He always lays his keys and coins on top of the bureau.The middle drawer of the bureau is where these shirts should go.
 
synonyms:
chest of drawers, dresser
similar words:
cabinet, chest, chiffonier, commode, dressing table, wardrobe
definition 2: a governmental department.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has its headquarters in Washington, D.C.
synonyms:
agency, department, office, service
similar words:
division
definition 3: an office or department, often a subdivision of an organization, that performs specific functions.
She joined one of the major news bureaus last year.The university's housing bureau should be able to help you.
synonyms:
department
similar words:
agency, branch, division, office, service, subdivision
Word CombinationsSubscriber feature About this feature
Word History
The word bureau comes from an early French word for a coarse woolen cloth used to cover a desk. Bureau became the word for desk, and then for the office in which the desk stood.
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