Matriarch

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈmeɪtɹɪˌɑːk/

Origin

From Latin māter ("mother") + + -arch.

Full definition of matriarch

Noun

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

Related terms

• matron
• matrimony, matrimonial
• maternal