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matriarch

[ mey-tree-ahrk ]
/ ˈmeɪ triˌɑrk /
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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR matriarch ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the female head of a family or tribal line.
a woman who is the founder or dominant member of a community or group.
a venerable old woman.

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RELATED WORDS

fatherly, maternal, paternal, stately, grand, esteemed, revered, affectionate, benevolent, benign, comforting, devoted, fond, forbearing, gentle, indulgent, kind, loving, motherly, protective

Nearby words

  1. matosinhos,
  2. matr-,
  3. matralia,
  4. matrass,
  5. matri-,
  6. matriarchal,
  7. matriarchate,
  8. matriarchy,
  9. matric,
  10. matrical

Origin of matriarch

First recorded in 1600–10; matri- + -arch
Related formsma·tri·ar·chal, ma·tri·ar·chic, adjectivema·tri·ar·chal·ism, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for matriarchal

British Dictionary definitions for matriarchal

matriarch

/ (ˈmeɪtrɪˌɑːk) /

noun

a woman who dominates an organization, community, etc
the female head of a tribe or family, esp in a matriarchy
a very old or venerable woman
Derived Formsmatriarchal or rare matriarchic, adjectivematriarchalism, noun

Word Origin for matriarch

C17: from matri- + -arch, by false analogy with patriarch
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for matriarchal
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper