patriarch

noun

pa·​tri·​arch ˈpā-trē-ˌärk 

1

a

: one of the scriptural fathers of the human race or of the Hebrew people

Abraham was a patriarch of the Israelites.

b

: a man who is father or founder

The newspaper patriarch celebrated his 90th birthday.

c(1)

: the oldest member or representative of a group

the cypress … is the patriarch of native trees, going back to the time of the dinosaur

—Amer. Guide Series: Texas

(2)

: a venerable old man

a whiskered patriarch, spry for his age

—Frank Sullivan

d

: a man who is head of a patriarchy

2

a

: any of the bishops of the ancient or Eastern Orthodox sees of Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem or the ancient and Western see of Rome with authority over other bishops

b

: the head of any of various Eastern churches

c

: a Roman Catholic bishop next in rank to the pope with purely titular or with metropolitan (see metropolitan entry 2 sense 1) jurisdiction

3

: a Mormon of the Melchizedek priesthood empowered to perform the ordinances of the church and pronounce blessings within a stake or prescribed jurisdiction

Examples of patriarch in a Sentence

Our grandfather was the family's patriarch.

The tribe's patriarch ruled for 20 years before his death.

Recent Examples on the Web

The movie has also cast Colman Domingo as patriarch Joe Jackson and Nia Long as Michael’s mother, Katherine Jackson. Bugonia (Nov. 7) Poor Things and The Favourite filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos’ latest bizarre sci-fi comedy is actually a remake of the 2003 South Korean film Save the Green Planet! —Ben Rosenstock, TIME, 19 Dec. 2024

Undaunted, Sheridan killed off Costner’s character, Yellowstone patriarch John Dutton, in the series’ Nov. 10 return, and recalibrated the remaining six episodes to focus on the aftermath of his murder and the Dutton siblings’ efforts to save the ranch from evil corporate developers. —Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 16 Dec. 2024

The patriarch was killed off this season in a murder-for-hire plot. —Glenn Garner, Deadline, 14 Dec. 2024

Nicholas Mangione, the family patriarch, owned the Hayfields Country Club and Turf Valley Resort, as well as nursing home company Lorien Health Services and local conservative radio station WCBM. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English patriarche, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin patriarcha, from Greek patriarchēs, from patria lineage (from patr-, patēr father) + -archēs -arch — more at father

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing patriarch

• ecumenical patriarch

Kids Definition

patriarch

noun

pa·​tri·​arch ˈpā-trē-ˌärk 

1

a

: one of the Old Testament fathers of the human race or of the Hebrew people

b

: the father and ruler of a family or tribe

c

: an old man deserving respect

2

: any of various bishops of highest rank and dignity

patriarchal

ˌpā-trē-ˈär-kəl

adjective