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
The road continues from Beersheba to Hebron, home to the Cave of the Patriarchs, purchased by Abraham some 3,800 years ago and traditionally regarded as the resting place of the biblical patriarchs and matriarchs.
—
Amelie Botbol, FOXNews.com, 17 June 2026
West's grandmother, Kardashian matriarch Kris Jenner, also paid tribute to the teen in an Instagram post of her own.
—Edward Segarra, USA Today, 15 June 2026
Alf actress Anne Schedeen, who played central family matriarch on the beloved sitcom from 1986-1990, has died at age 77, her family announced.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 15 June 2026
Ian Barford, who plays the verbose and focused Hermann, drives the play as a Jewish entrepreneur who understands the need to plan ahead, and Barbara Robertson, the matriarch of the family and the evening, stands tall here.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for matriarch
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Amelie Botbol, FOXNews.com, 17 June 2026
West's grandmother, Kardashian matriarch Kris Jenner, also paid tribute to the teen in an Instagram post of her own.
—Edward Segarra, USA Today, 15 June 2026
Alf actress Anne Schedeen, who played central family matriarch on the beloved sitcom from 1986-1990, has died at age 77, her family announced.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 15 June 2026
Ian Barford, who plays the verbose and focused Hermann, drives the play as a Jewish entrepreneur who understands the need to plan ahead, and Barbara Robertson, the matriarch of the family and the evening, stands tall here.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 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 25 Jun. 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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