matriarchal

[ mey-tree-ahr-kuhl ]

adjective

1. of or relating to a matriarch, the female head of a family, tribe, community, etc.:

   her matriarchal qualities of love and compassion.

2. characteristic of an entity, family, etc., controlled by women:

   matriarchal cultures in India.

Word History and Origins

Origin of matriarchal¹

First recorded in 1840–45; matriarch ( def ) + -al ¹( def )

Example Sentences

Her performance as the quick-witted matriarchal figure won her three Primetime Emmy awards, a Bafta, a Golden Globe and four Screen Actors Guild awards.

From BBC

Reis: We are a very matriarchal society; the women are the life-givers, the caregivers, the hunters, it’s not women stay here, while men do this — especially where I come from, we are the decision makers, we are with the clan mothers.

From Los Angeles Times

Thy live in matriarchal groups of about 10 and sometimes meet up with hundreds or thousands of other whales.

From Seattle Times

These matriarchal battle queens are scandalous too.

From Salon

Woolly mammoths lived and died in the ancient past; their matriarchal lines are entirely broken by the permanence of extinction.

From Slate

Related Words

• esteemed
• grand
• revered
• stately
• venerated