matriarch

noun ma·tri·arch \ˈmā-trē-ˌärk\

: a woman who controls a family, group, or government

Full Definition of MATRIARCH

: a woman who rules or dominates a family, group, or state; specifically : a mother who is head and ruler of her family and descendants

— ma·tri·ar·chal \ˌmā-trē-ˈär-kəl\ adjective

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First Known Use of MATRIARCH

1606

Related to MATRIARCH

Synonyms: dame, dowager, grande dame, matron

Other Government and Politics Terms

agent provocateur, agitprop, autarky, cabal, egalitarianism, federalism, hegemony, plenipotentiary, popular sovereignty, socialism

MATRIARCHAL Defined for Kids

matriarch

noun ma·tri·arch \ˈmā-trē-ˌärk\

Definition of MATRIARCH for Kids

: a woman who is the head of a family, group, or state

Word Root of MATRIARCH

The Latin word mater, meaning “mother,” gives us the root mater or matr. Anyone or anything maternal, such as a grandparent, is related through the mother's side of the family. Maternity is the state of being a mother. A matriarch is a woman who is the mother and head of a family. A matron is a married woman who may be a mother.