patriarchal
Americanadjective
-
of or relating to a patriarch, the male head of a family, tribe, community, church, order, etc..
my father's conservative, patriarchal ways.
-
characteristic of an entity, family, church, etc., controlled by men.
a patriarchal church in which women are not allowed to hold leadership roles.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of patriarchal
First recorded in 1425–75; from Late Latin patriarchālis, equivalent to patriarch(a) patriarch ( def. ) + Latin -ālis -al 1 ( def. )
Explanation
A patriarchal system is one run by men. Traditionally, most societies have been patriarchal, but it's now considered sexist and unfair. The patriarchal way used to be pretty much the only way: countries and societies were run by men. The U.S. was very patriarchal, especially when women couldn't even vote. Over time, these things change, though probably not fast enough. These days, calling a country or business patriarchal is usually an insult — it implies that women aren't being treated equally.
Vocabulary lists containing patriarchal
Father's Day Words
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100 SAT words Beginning with "P"
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The Roman Republic, Lessons 3–4
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Ancient, patriarchal and oracular, Tennyson was not merely the poet laureate of England; he was, like his queen, a symbol of the British Empire.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026
"I think that has to be recognised but, of course, the problematic part is that they are inherently anti-democratic, misogynistic and patriarchal."
From BBC • Feb. 13, 2026
“The Mary Tyler Moore Show” casts Minneapolis as progressive and neighborly, a bustling metropolis located between stereotypical Midwestern patriarchal stubbornness and a feminist future.
From Salon • Jan. 31, 2026
"It is a way of asserting women's place in a world and a system that remains deeply patriarchal," stressed Centeno, an expert in non-verbal communication.
From Barron's • Jan. 31, 2026
“But, Lord, ‘subverting the patriarchal paradigm’—it’s like she wrote the speech.”
From "Looking for Alaska" by John Green
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
