matriarch

noun

ma·​tri·​arch ˈmā-trē-ˌärk 

: a woman who rules or dominates a family, group, or state

specifically : a mother who is head and ruler of her family and descendants

Our grandmother was the family's matriarch.

Did you know?

A matriarchy is a social unit governed by a woman or group of women. It isn't certain that a true matriarchal society has ever existed, so matriarchy is usually treated as an imaginative concept. But there are societies in which relatedness through women rather than men is stressed, and elements of matriarchy may be stronger in certain societies than they are in most of the Western world. And most of us can point to families in which a woman has become the dominant figure, or grande dame, or matriarch.

Synonyms

• dame
• dowager
• grande dame
• matron

Examples of matriarch in a Sentence

Our grandmother was the family's matriarch.

The tribe's matriarch ruled for 20 years before her death.

Recent Examples on the Web

Launched in honor of Black History Month and Women’s History Month, the campaign offers an intimate look at the mentors, matriarchs, and trailblazers who have provided the foundation for success on and off the field. —Mecca Pryor, Essence, 1 Feb. 2025

But actress Catherine O'Hara, who played matriarch Kate McCallister, disagrees with the director about her character's occupation. —Virginia Chamlee, People.com, 31 Jan. 2025

In Hallmark's The Way Home, MacDowell plays the complex matriarch of the Landry family, Del Landry. —Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 24 Jan. 2025

Barbaro, a first-time nominee for playing the middle-finger-flipping matriarch of folk, joins a roster that includes Wicked’s Ariana Grande-Butera, The Brutalist’s Felicity Jones, Conclave’s Isabella Rossellini, and Emilia Pérez’s Zoe Saldaña. —Devon Ivie, Vulture, 23 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1606, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

matriarch

noun

ma·​tri·​arch ˈmā-trē-ˌärk 

: a woman who rules a family, group, or state

especially : a mother who is head of her family and descendants

matriarchal

ˌmā-trē-ˈär-kəl 

adjective