Word
matriarch
Phoneticsma·tri·arch
US/ˈmeɪtɹiˌɑɹk/
UK/mˈætɹɪˌɑːk/
Definitions
01head of a family or tribe
n. a woman who is the head of a family or a social group.
n. a female leader of a family, tribe, or ethnic group, often exercising significant authority over its members.
“The family matriarch gathered all her children and grandchildren for her eightieth birthday.”
“As the undisputed matriarch of the clan, her approval was required for any major decision regarding the family estate.”
Formal
Usage
Often used to describe a woman who rules a large, multi-generational family.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02powerful female leader
n. a woman who starts or leads an important organization or movement.
n. a female founder or dominant leader of a political, religious, or professional organization.
“She was considered the matriarch of the local environmental movement.”
“The company's matriarch retired after forty years, leaving behind a corporate culture defined by her personal values.”
Formal
Teaching tip
While the primary sense is familial, this sense is common in journalism to describe influential women in business or politics.
Real-World Examples
“Her grandmother, the first woman his grandfather married, presided as matriarch over a farm where the wives lived together, and often helped choose the newcomers herself.” “She later became the matriarch of one of America’s best-known political families , including President John F.” Etymology
Of Latin origin, via or reinforced by Old French matriarche, from Latin māter (“mother”) + -archa, -arches, from Ancient Greek -άρχης (-árkhēs), from ἀρχός (arkhós, “chief”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ergʰ- (“to begin, rule, command”). By surface analysis, matri- + -arch.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/matriarch