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 notable matriarch mentioned in Waters’s book is Phyllis Schlafly.
—
Emma Green, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Catherine O'Hara, who died suddenly in January, played matriarch Moira Rose, a flamboyant former soap opera star.
—Anthony Mason, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2026
Stacy is the matriarch of a wealthy New York City family who makes a life-changing decision after suffering a devastating tragedy in the first episode.
—Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 3 Apr. 2026
At the immersive new Elephant Valley, visitors come face to face with a herd of eight elephants led by their matriarch, Swazi.
—Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for matriarch
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Emma Green, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Catherine O'Hara, who died suddenly in January, played matriarch Moira Rose, a flamboyant former soap opera star.
—Anthony Mason, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2026
Stacy is the matriarch of a wealthy New York City family who makes a life-changing decision after suffering a devastating tragedy in the first episode.
—Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 3 Apr. 2026
At the immersive new Elephant Valley, visitors come face to face with a herd of eight elephants led by their matriarch, Swazi.
—Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 2 Apr. 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 8 Apr. 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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