bureau
noun
bu·reau
ˈbyu̇r-(ˌ)ō
ˈbyər-
plural bureaus also bureaux
ˈbyu̇r-(ˌ)ōz
ˈbyər-
1
a
b
: a low chest of drawers for use in a bedroom
2
a
: a specialized administrative unit
especially
: a subdivision of an executive department of a government
the Federal Bureau of Investigation
b
: a branch of a newspaper, newsmagazine, or wire service in an important news center
the newspaper's Washington D.C. and New York bureaus
c
: a usually commercial agency that serves as an intermediary especially for exchanging information or coordinating activities
credit bureau
the local visitor's bureau
Cite this Entry
“Bureau.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bureau. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.
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