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 dolls, which belong to a tribe called The Monsters, are the latest in a long line of iconic collectible characters from Asia, including Hello Kitty — now a 50-year-old matriarch — Sonny Angel and Gudetama.
—
Alisha Haridasani Gupta, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2025
It’s named for Cindy Pritzker, the late matriarch of the Pritzker family, and a portrait of her by Andy Warhol hangs in the restaurant.
—Everett Potter, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
The threat to Charlie and especially Mia escalates with the arrival from Hong Kong of Fong’s mother Clarice, a steely crime matriarch played by an almost unrecognizable Yeo Yann Yann, so memorable in Anthony Chen’s gorgeous domestic drama, Ilo Ilo.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 24 Apr. 2025
On Tuesday, April 22, in an interview with People magazine, the matriarch of the Knowles family revealed she was diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer.
—Sara Vallone, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for matriarch
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Alisha Haridasani Gupta, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2025
It’s named for Cindy Pritzker, the late matriarch of the Pritzker family, and a portrait of her by Andy Warhol hangs in the restaurant.
—Everett Potter, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
The threat to Charlie and especially Mia escalates with the arrival from Hong Kong of Fong’s mother Clarice, a steely crime matriarch played by an almost unrecognizable Yeo Yann Yann, so memorable in Anthony Chen’s gorgeous domestic drama, Ilo Ilo.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 24 Apr. 2025
On Tuesday, April 22, in an interview with People magazine, the matriarch of the Knowles family revealed she was diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer.
—Sara Vallone, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for matriarch
Cite this Entry
“Matriarch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/matriarch. Accessed 4 May. 2025.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share