noun
bureau
BYUU-roh
noun
1
A government department or agency, especially one handling a specific area of administration.
"She filed the report with the local weather bureau."
"The Federal Bureau of Investigation handles major federal crimes in the US."
2
A chest of drawers for storing clothes, or a writing desk with compartments.
"He kept his socks in the top drawer of the bureau."
How to Use Bureau
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn office or government department, or (especially in the US) a piece of furniture for storing clothes.
UK vs US
In American English, "bureau" commonly means a chest of drawers; in British English it more often means a writing desk or government office.
Common pairings
news bureau
bureau of statistics
Word Forms
bureaus plural, bureaux plural
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Etymology
From French bureau, originally meaning the coarse woolen cloth used to cover writing desks, later coming to mean the desk itself and then the office.