matriarch

Meaning

Noun

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

Related

Similar words

• materfamilias

Opposite words

• highfather
• paterfamilias
• patriarch

Origin

• Of Latin origin, via or reinforced by Old French matriarche, from Latin māter ("mother") + -archa, -arches, from Ancient Greek -άρχης, from ἀρχός, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ergʰ- ("to begin, rule, command"). Surface analysis matri- + -arch.