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

In 2016, the Dune actress appeared alongside the 32-time Grammy winner in the latter’s Lemonade album film, and Bey’s mom, Tina Knowles, even said in April that Z reminds the matriarch of her famous eldest daughter. —Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 3 Jan. 2025

The sisters, their kids, and matriarch Kris Jenner posed in matching pajamas for a special screening at Kim Kardashian’s home, which had been transformed into a pink and green wonderland. —Louis Staples, Rolling Stone, 29 Dec. 2024

Influential in politics and charity work was Ethel Kennedy, 96, the final matriarch of the Kennedy family. —David Colton, USA TODAY, 27 Dec. 2024

At the heart of the tale is Sunja (played as a young woman by Minha Kim and later in life by Minari Oscar-winner Youn Yuh-jung), a thoughtful and resilient matriarch who leaves her small-town home in Korea to move to Osaka. —refinery29.com, 27 Dec. 2024

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