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
The matriarchs who fed the team.
—
Ricardo Adé,
Miami Herald,
25 June 2026
Many first-generation wealth creators remain reluctant to relinquish control, particularly in Asia, where fortunes are often closely associated with a family patriarch or matriarch.
—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
23 June 2026
Everett, who would become the family’s matriarch, was about 16 years old at the time.
—
Chase Hunter,
Mercury News,
21 June 2026
The road continues from Beersheba to Hebron, home to the Cave of the Patriarchs, purchased by Abraham some 3,800 years ago and traditionally regarded as the resting place of the biblical patriarchs and matriarchs.
—
Amelie Botbol,
FOXNews.com,
17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for matriarch
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Ricardo Adé,
Miami Herald,
25 June 2026
Many first-generation wealth creators remain reluctant to relinquish control, particularly in Asia, where fortunes are often closely associated with a family patriarch or matriarch.
—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
23 June 2026
Everett, who would become the family’s matriarch, was about 16 years old at the time.
—
Chase Hunter,
Mercury News,
21 June 2026
The road continues from Beersheba to Hebron, home to the Cave of the Patriarchs, purchased by Abraham some 3,800 years ago and traditionally regarded as the resting place of the biblical patriarchs and matriarchs.
—
Amelie Botbol,
FOXNews.com,
17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for matriarch
Cite this Entry
“Matriarch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/matriarch. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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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