matriarchal
adjective
ma·tri·ar·chal
ˌmā-trē-ˈär-kəl 
: of, relating to, or being a matriarch or matriarchy
a matriarchal society
Johnnie Angelia King … plays a very different matriarchal figure here, imbuing hard-working Faye with passion …—
Larry T. Collins
Larry T. CollinsAs a Filipino-American, Lirio Marcelo was steeped in a matriarchal culture where there was no shortage of female role models in corporate and government realms.—Lydia Dishman
Lydia DishmanExamples of matriarchal in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Shop Sonam Kapoor's Open Door Such design derring-do is part of Kapoor’s DNA, traceable back in a matriarchal line of cultured women with a talent for interiors.
—Cosmo Brockway, Architectural Digest, 12 Aug. 2024
Now, matriarchal families are leading the majority of businesses on the island.
—Victoria Leandra, refinery29.com, 9 July 2024
African elephants are highly social animals, living in matriarchal herds led by a female elder.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 10 July 2024
Whales live in matriarchal societies, with their own dialects and multigenerational family bonds.
—T. Nelson Thompson, Baltimore Sun, 14 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for matriarchal 
Cosmo Brockway, Architectural Digest, 12 Aug. 2024
Now, matriarchal families are leading the majority of businesses on the island.
—Victoria Leandra, refinery29.com, 9 July 2024
African elephants are highly social animals, living in matriarchal herds led by a female elder.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 10 July 2024
Whales live in matriarchal societies, with their own dialects and multigenerational family bonds.
—T. Nelson Thompson, Baltimore Sun, 14 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for matriarchal
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'matriarchal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near matriarchal
Cite this Entry
“Matriarchal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/matriarchal. Accessed 1 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share