n., pl., -reaus, or -reaux (-ōz).
- A chest of drawers, especially a dresser for holding clothes.
- Chiefly British. A writing desk or writing table with drawers.
- A government department or a subdivision of a department.
- An office, usually of a large organization, that is responsible for a specific duty: a news bureau.
- A business that offers information of a specified kind: a travel bureau.
[French, cloth cover for desks, desk, office, from Old French burel, woolen cloth, probably from Vulgar Latin *būra, from Late Latin burra, shaggy garment.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
