patriarchy

noun

pa·​tri·​ar·​chy ˈpā-trē-ˌär-kē 

plural patriarchies

1

: social organization marked by the supremacy of the father in the clan or family, the legal dependence of wives and children, and the reckoning of descent and inheritance in the male line

broadly : control by men of a disproportionately large share of power

2

: a society or institution organized according to the principles or practices of patriarchy

For 20 years the country was ruled as a patriarchy.

Examples of patriarchy in a Sentence

For 20 years, the country was ruled as a patriarchy.

a region in which patriarchy is practiced

Recent Examples on the Web

Desai agrees that men and women walk side by side, and both suffer the perils of patriarchy. —Sweta Kaushal, Forbes, 26 Oct. 2024

Instead of shading Black male voters in ways that feel patronizing, President Obama could have cultivated more intimate opportunities for calling people in and getting honest about the vestiges of patriarchy. —Brea Baker, refinery29.com, 18 Oct. 2024

In 2016 in California, Hindu-nationalist groups claimed that sixth-grade textbooks were biased against Hindus and demanded they be revised to give a kindlier depiction of the caste system, and to downplay the role of patriarchy in India. —Andrew Cockburn, Harper's Magazine, 20 Aug. 2024

As with other land-art pieces, it’s tainted with destruction, patriarchy, Manifest Destiny and colonialism. —Cheri Lucas Rowlands, Longreads, 17 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1632, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

patriarchy

noun

pa·​tri·​ar·​chy ˈpā-trē-ˌär-kē 

plural patriarchies

1

: social organization in which the father is head of the family and ancestry and inheritance are traced in the male line

2

: a society organized according to the principles of patriarchy