patriarch

2 entries found for patriarch.
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patriarch ecumenical patriarch

Main Entry: pa·tri·arch
Pronunciation: 'pA-trE-"ärk
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English patriarche, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin patriarcha, from Greek patriarchEs, from patria lineage (from patr-, patEr father) + -archEs -arch -- more at FATHER
1 a : one of the scriptural fathers of the human race or of the Hebrew people b : a man who is father or founder c (1) : the oldest member or representative of a group (2) : a venerable old man d : a man who is head of a patriarchy
2 a : any of the bishops of the ancient or Eastern Orthodox sees of Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem or the ancient and Western see of Rome with authority over other bishops b : the head of any of various Eastern churches c : a Roman Catholic bishop next in rank to the pope with purely titular or with metropolitan jurisdiction
3 : a Mormon of the Melchizedek priesthood empowered to perform the ordinances of the church and pronounce blessings within a stake or prescribed jurisdiction