patriarchs

1. In the Old Testament , the “founding fathers” of the Israelites : Abraham and Isaac , Jacob , and the sons of Jacob. ( See Joseph and his brothers .)

Example Sentences

Pennington, for example, characterized slavery as “an institution of the dark age” while critiquing the “monarchs, patriarchs, and prophets of the South.”

From Salon

Trump and Vance offer a grim and unappealing vision of gender relations, one where women are shuffling servants under the watchful eye of dour patriarchs.

From Salon

Bartholomew I is regarded as the “first among equals” among patriarchs in Eastern Orthodoxy and the spiritual leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians.

From Seattle Times

Care for the environment has been a priority for Francis, and presidents and patriarchs alike have welcomed his moral leadership on the issue.

From Seattle Times

The patriarchs’ statement made no explicit mention of the Hamas attack, restating in general terms its condemnation of any act that targets civilians.

From Seattle Times