bureau

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
bureau /ˈbjʊərəʊ/

▶noun (pl. bureaux or bureaus)

• 1 Brit. a writing desk with drawers and an angled top that opens downwards to form a writing surface.

  ■ N. Amer. a chest of drawers.

• 2 an office for transacting particular business.

  ■ a government department.

– origin C17: from Fr., orig. ‘baize’ (often used to cover writing desks).