buroo
B2-C1Formal to neutral, depending on context. Common in business, government, and formal written English; less frequent in casual conversation.
Definition
Meaning
A piece of furniture with drawers and typically a flat surface for writing; also an office or organization providing a specific service.
In government contexts, a department or subdivision of a government department (e.g., Federal Bureau of Investigation); historically, a writing desk with a sloped lid; in British usage, a chest of drawers.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The meaning shifts significantly between British and American English. In AmE, it primarily means a chest of drawers for clothes. In BrE, it primarily means a writing desk. The organizational/government meaning is common to both.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In BrE, a 'bureau' is chiefly a writing desk, often with a hinged lid. In AmE, a 'bureau' is chiefly a chest of drawers for clothing (a synonym for 'dresser'). The organizational meaning ('travel bureau') is shared.
Connotations
BrE: Connotes study, paperwork, traditional office work. AmE: Connotes bedroom furniture, storage, domesticity.
Frequency
The furniture sense is more frequent in AmE for the chest-of-drawers meaning. The organizational sense ('bureau of statistics') is equally frequent in formal contexts in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
bureau of [Noun: Organization]bureau for [Noun: Purpose]bureau on [Noun: Topic]bureau in [Noun: Location]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “run a tight bureau (metaphorical, efficient office)”
- “bureau politics (office politics within a department)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to a specialized department or service office, e.g., 'Please submit the report to the personnel bureau.'
Academic
Used for research institutes or data-collecting bodies, e.g., 'The Bureau of Labor Statistics published new figures.'
Everyday
BrE: 'I left the letter on the bureau.' AmE: 'My socks are in the top bureau drawer.'
Technical
In government/administrative jargon, denotes a specific administrative unit with a defined function.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- bureau duties
- bureau furniture
American English
- bureau drawer
- bureau lamp
Examples
By CEFR Level
- She put the book on the bureau. (BrE)
- The shirts are in the bureau. (AmE)
- We got the weather forecast from the meteorological bureau.
- The antique bureau had many small drawers.
- The Federal Bureau of Investigation is known as the FBI.
- He applied for a visa at the immigration bureau.
- Inter-agency rivalry often hampered the efficiency of the newly formed bureau.
- The report, compiled by the census bureau, revealed significant demographic shifts.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the 'O' in bureau as a drawer you pull out (AmE) or the round knob on a desk lid (BrE).
Conceptual Metaphor
ORGANIZATION IS A PIECE OF FURNITURE (a contained, structured entity with compartments/divisions).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'бюро' (byuro) which is a direct cognate but is used more broadly for any office or agency. The furniture meaning is less prominent in Russian.
- Avoid using 'bureau' as a direct translation for 'офис' (office) in casual contexts; it sounds overly formal.
Common Mistakes
- Pronouncing it as /bjuːˈroʊ/ (like 'bureau-crat') in isolation; the primary stress is on the first syllable.
- Using the wrong furniture meaning for the audience's variety (e.g., telling an American you put clothes in your bureau meaning a writing desk).
- Overusing in place of simpler words like 'desk', 'agency', or 'department'.
Practice
Quiz
What is the most common meaning of 'bureau' in British English?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It can be. In organizational contexts (FBI, travel bureau), it is standard formal vocabulary. The furniture sense is neutral.
The standard plural is 'bureaus'. The French-style plural 'bureaux' is also correct, especially in formal or historical contexts, but 'bureaus' is more common in everyday use.
Language evolution. The word entered English from French, meaning 'desk'. In the US, the meaning shifted to a type of chest of drawers (often with a mirror), possibly via 'bureau dresser'. The original 'desk' meaning was retained in the UK.
Only in specific, usually official, compound names (e.g., 'information bureau'). It is not a general synonym for a room where people work. Use 'office' for that general meaning.