matriarchal
adjective
ma·tri·ar·chal
ˌmā-trē-ˈär-kəl 
: of, relating to, or being a matriarch or matriarchy
a matriarchal society
Johnnie Angelia King … plays a very different matriarchal figure here, imbuing hard-working Faye with passion …—
Larry T. Collins
Larry T. CollinsAs a Filipino-American, Lirio Marcelo was steeped in a matriarchal culture where there was no shortage of female role models in corporate and government realms.—Lydia Dishman
Lydia DishmanExamples of matriarchal in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The story follows an English teacher, Penelope Schleeman, who has written a début novel about the adventures of a feisty mermaid living in a matriarchal pod.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 7 Jan. 2026
It’s also meant to be a meditation on the matriarchal nature of Caribbean culture.
—Douglas Markowitz, Miami Herald, 19 Dec. 2025
Visitors learn more about what makes a geisha and the sacred artistry that holds generations of Japanese heritage and matriarchal lineage.
—Malik Peay, Them., 15 Dec. 2025
Her eventual object is Nelson Denoon, a charismatic social engineer trying to create a matriarchal utopian society in the countryside.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for matriarchal
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The New Yorker, New Yorker, 7 Jan. 2026
It’s also meant to be a meditation on the matriarchal nature of Caribbean culture.
—Douglas Markowitz, Miami Herald, 19 Dec. 2025
Visitors learn more about what makes a geisha and the sacred artistry that holds generations of Japanese heritage and matriarchal lineage.
—Malik Peay, Them., 15 Dec. 2025
Her eventual object is Nelson Denoon, a charismatic social engineer trying to create a matriarchal utopian society in the countryside.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for matriarchal
Cite this Entry
“Matriarchal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/matriarchal. Accessed 14 Jan. 2026.
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