Wiktionary

matriarch

English edit

Etymology edit

Of Latin origin, via or reinforced by Old French matriarche, from Latin māter (“mother”) + -archa, -arches, from Ancient Greek -άρχης (-árkhēs), from ἀρχός (arkhós, “chief”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ergʰ- (“to begin, rule, command”). By surface analysis, matri- +‎ -arch.

Pronunciation edit

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈmeɪtɹɪˌɑːk/
  • Audio (Southern England)(file)
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈmeɪtɹiɑɹk/

Noun edit

matriarch (plural matriarchs)

  1. A female leader of a family, a tribe or an ethnic or religious group.
    1. The dominant female in a family group of elephants
  2. A female founder of a political or religious movement, an organization or an enterprise.

Synonyms edit

Antonyms edit

Related terms edit

Translations edit

Dutch edit

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

matriarch f (plural matriarchen, diminutive matriarchje n, masculine patriarch)

  1. matriarch

Related terms edit

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