matri-

1. a combining form meaning “mother,” used in the formation of compound words:

   matrilineal.

matri-

combining_form

1. mother or motherhood

   matriarchy

Word History and Origins

Origin of matri-¹

< Latin, combining form of māter mother ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of matri-¹

from Latin māter mother

Example Sentences

With more than $500 million generated annually, maybe they should call it “matri-money.”

From The Daily Beast

Unde patri suo Tuinfredo et matri sue Marcelline, oneri fuit non honori, confusioni et non exultacioni.

From Project Gutenberg

Nam Remus oris lineamentis erat matri simillimus aetasque expositionis temporibus congruebat.

From Project Gutenberg

Filius sapiens lætificat patrem: filius vero stultus mæstitia est matri suæ.

From Project Gutenberg

His family, that of Matri, was one of the lowliest in Benjamin.

From Project Gutenberg

Nascere, magne puer, matri expectate patrique, is said near the end.

From Project Gutenberg

Words That Use matri-

What does matri- mean?

The combining form matri- is used like a prefix meaning “mother.” It is used in a variety of everyday and scientific terms, especially in anthropology.

The form matri- comes from Latin māter, meaning “mother.” The word matrix, which has various meanings, including “womb,” comes from this same Latin root, as does matron, “a married woman.”

The “father” counterpart to matri- is patri-. Check out our Words That Use article for patri- to learn more.

The Greek cognate of Latin māter is mḗtēr, also meaning “mother,” which is the source of words such as metropolis, a term that literally means “mother city.” Find out more at our entries for matrix, matron, and metropolis.

What are variants of matri-?

When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, matri- becomes matr-, as in matral. Another rare variant of matri- is matro-, as in matrocliny. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use articles for each of these forms.

Examples of matri-

An example of a word you may have encountered that features matri- is matrilineal, “inheriting or determining descent through the female line.”

We know matri- means “mother,” while the -lineal portion refers to “line,” from Latin līneālis. Matrilineal literally translates to “mother’s line.”

What are some words that use the combining form matri-?

• matriarch
• matriarchy
• matricide (using the equivalent form of matri- in Latin)
• matrilocal
• matrimony (using the equivalent form of matri- in Latin)

What are some other forms that matri- may be commonly confused with?

• mast-
• masto-
• metr-
• metro-
• micro-

Not every word that begins with the exact letters matri- or matr-, such as matrass or matriculate, is necessarily using the combining form matri- to denote “mother.” Learn why matriculate means “to enroll” at our entry for the word.

Break it down!

The combining form -archy means “rule” or “government.” With this in mind, what is a matriarchy?