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.

Synonyms of matriarch

• dowager
• matron

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

This piece of fashion history acted as a bookend, appearing again in the collection’s final look — honoring fashion’s matriarch from start to finish. — Fiona Sinclair Scott, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2026

Marine Le Pen, matriarch of France’s far-right National Rally, has been leading in the polls. — Ellen Francis, Washington Post, 6 Oct. 2026

Some at the memorial took solace in seeing so many like-minded devotees come out to the serene mountain setting to remember the avian matriarch. — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026

McGuane extends care to the ignored and the abhorrent—Peggy, the matriarch, fails at protecting her daughter not once but twice, with lifelong consequences the family all but ignores. — Ryan Chapman, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1606, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for matriarch

• ballpark
• benchmark
• birthmark
• daymark
• earmark
• embark
• hallmark
• landmark
• monarch
• postmark
• remark
• skylark

Kids 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

matriarchal

ˌmā-trē-ˈär-kəl 

adjective