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.
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
One of those sisters is the now-dead matriarch who deeded her house to Sophie.
—
Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2025
Shannon is desperately searching for love in the shadow of her gangster father, Dylan (Riley), devoted mum Cat (Fraser), older brother Luke (Gribben) and the indomitable family matriarch, grandma Ollie (Duncan).
—Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 28 Mar. 2025
On this week's episode of The Kardashians, family matriarch and momager Kris Jenner, 69, brings 10 of her 13 grandchildren to a pumpkin patch.
—Hannah Sacks, People.com, 27 Mar. 2025
The stadium-filling superstar Kenny Chesney will join the Country Music Hall of Fame this year alongside musical matriarch June Carter Cash and powerhouse producer Tony Brown.
—Adam Tamburin, Axios, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for matriarch
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Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2025
Shannon is desperately searching for love in the shadow of her gangster father, Dylan (Riley), devoted mum Cat (Fraser), older brother Luke (Gribben) and the indomitable family matriarch, grandma Ollie (Duncan).
—Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 28 Mar. 2025
On this week's episode of The Kardashians, family matriarch and momager Kris Jenner, 69, brings 10 of her 13 grandchildren to a pumpkin patch.
—Hannah Sacks, People.com, 27 Mar. 2025
The stadium-filling superstar Kenny Chesney will join the Country Music Hall of Fame this year alongside musical matriarch June Carter Cash and powerhouse producer Tony Brown.
—Adam Tamburin, Axios, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for matriarch
Cite this Entry
“Matriarch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/matriarch. Accessed 7 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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