patriarch

noun

pa·​tri·​arch ˈpā-trē-ˌärk 

1

a

: one of the scriptural fathers of the human race or of the Hebrew people

Abraham was a patriarch of the Israelites.

b

: a man who is father or founder

The newspaper patriarch celebrated his 90th birthday.

c(1)

: the oldest member or representative of a group

the cypress … is the patriarch of native trees, going back to the time of the dinosaur

—Amer. Guide Series: Texas

(2)

: a venerable old man

a whiskered patriarch, spry for his age

—Frank Sullivan

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 (see metropolitan entry 2 sense 1) 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

Examples of patriarch in a Sentence

Our grandfather was the family's patriarch.

The tribe's patriarch ruled for 20 years before his death.

Recent Examples on the Web

But the mere threat of a lawsuit opened a new chapter in the operatic relationship between Trump and Murdoch, the 93-year-old patriarch who controls the Journal, Fox News and other conservative media brands. —Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 17 July 2025

But this summer, MacLean is stepping (slightly) outside romance with her These Summer Storms, out now, an inheritance drama about the secrets of a wealthy family on the coast of Rhode Island and the fallout following the death of their patriarch (think Succession). —Maureen Lee Lenker Published, EW.com, 16 July 2025

The toddlers, who were also stylishly dressed for the occasion, beamed with excitement during the meet and greet with the Smurf patriarch. —Angelina Liu, People.com, 14 July 2025

That works well to set up a milieu of bleak social segregation under a harsh patriarch’s thumb. —Dennis Harvey, Variety, 11 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English patriarche, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin patriarcha, from Greek patriarchēs, from patria lineage (from patr-, patēr father) + -archēs -arch — more at father

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing patriarch

• ecumenical patriarch

Rhymes for patriarch

• disembark
• matriarch
• meadowlark
• watermark
• arc
• ark
• bark
• barque
• dark
• hark
• lark
• marc

Kids Definition

patriarch

noun

pa·​tri·​arch ˈpā-trē-ˌärk 

1

a

: one of the Old Testament fathers of the human race or of the Hebrew people

b

: the father and ruler of a family or tribe

c

: an old man deserving respect

2

: any of various bishops of highest rank and dignity

patriarchal

ˌpā-trē-ˈär-kəl

adjective