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
Lipman and Cowen confirmed that no one else was even considered for the role of mouthy matriarch Debbie Novotny.
—
Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 13 June 2025
Dow died in 2022, and Cleaver family matriarch Barbara Billingsley died in 2010.
—Grace Harrington, People.com, 12 June 2025
Reuben plays Mae Silver, Boston’s District Attorney and the matriarch of a blended family of law enforcement professionals.
—The Deadline Team, Deadline, 11 June 2025
Her mentor is the Director (Anjelica Huston), the matriarch of the Ruska Roma, an organization introduced in John Wick: Chapter 3 that teaches its students how to punch, kick, shoot a gun, and take a fall among the best of them.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for matriarch
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 13 June 2025
Dow died in 2022, and Cleaver family matriarch Barbara Billingsley died in 2010.
—Grace Harrington, People.com, 12 June 2025
Reuben plays Mae Silver, Boston’s District Attorney and the matriarch of a blended family of law enforcement professionals.
—The Deadline Team, Deadline, 11 June 2025
Her mentor is the Director (Anjelica Huston), the matriarch of the Ruska Roma, an organization introduced in John Wick: Chapter 3 that teaches its students how to punch, kick, shoot a gun, and take a fall among the best of them.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 10 June 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 18 Jun. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share