Definition
nounAn administrative unit of government; office.
nounAn organization or office for collecting or providing information or news.
Sentence Examples
The weather bureau says it will rain tonight.
The college has a placement bureau for students.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *péh₂wr̥
Proto-Hellenic *pāwər
Ancient Greek πῦρ (pûr)
Proto-Indo-European *-rós
Proto-Hellenic *-rós
Ancient Greek -ρός (-rós)
Ancient Greek πῠρρός (pŭrrhós)bor.
Latin burrus
Latin burra
Old French *bure
Proto-Indo-European *-lós
Proto-Indo-European *-elós
Proto-Italic *-elos
Latin -lus
Latin -ellus
Old French -el
Old French burel
French bureauubor.
English bureau
Unadapted borrowing from French bureau, earlier "coarse cloth (as desk cover), baize", from Old French burel (“woolen cloth”), diminutive of *bure (compare Middle French bure (“coarse woolen cloth”), French bourre (“hair, fluff”)), from Late Latin burra (“wool, fluff, shaggy cloth, coarse fabric”); akin to Ancient Greek βερβέριον (berbérion, “shabby garment”). Doublet of burel and borrel, taken from Old French.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Ashley Johnson is an energy, trade and economics expert at the National Bureau of Asian Research, based in the United States."
— 2018, VOA Learning English > China's Melting Glacier Brings Visitors, Adds to Climate Concerns:
"Newt Gingrich gives powerful testimony to the appeal of “the last word in content providership” — speakers’ bureaus."
— 2012 May 5, Henry Alford, “Future TED Talks”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 09 May 2012:
"There was an eerie silence in the dorm [... in] the factory. [...] The lamp glowed in his bureau, warm and reassuring and, through the window, I could see his papers strewn across the desk. [...] I called his name again. A movement from his bureau. [...] I banged on his door until it opened a crack[. ...] He pushed me out onto the staircase. "Get out," he screamed. The door to his bureau slammed in my face."
— 2015, Victoria Delderfield, Secret Mother:
"Both my ability to comprehend what is being said [in French] and my ability to fake comprehension have improved expeditiously. Monsieur holds the door open for me as we step inside his bureau. No one looks up as we enter. He offers me a seat, and when I fail to take it he returns to my side of the desk [...]."
— 2010, Ellie Nielsen, Buying a Piece of Paris: A Memoir, page 17:
"Nick opened the bureau door and told Joan he was going to find Susan. He walked to the cafeteria, but it was empty. He went back to the bureau, and asked Joan to check the restrooms."
— 2015, Dan Riker, The Blue Girl Murders, page 287: