Patriarchal
/ˌpeɪ.triˈɑːr.kəl/noun
Relating to a social system in which men, especially fathers or male elders, hold primary authority.
Did you know?In ancient Greek and later Christian usage, a patriarch was not merely an old man but the recognized head of a family, tribe, or major religious jurisdiction.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ph₂tḗr
“Father; the kinship word reconstructed as the ancient root behind many Indo-European terms for father.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
patḗr
“Father.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
patriá
“Family lineage, ancestry, or clan descended from a father.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
patriárkhēs
“Head or ruler of a family; literally one who governs a lineage.”
Late Greek and Medieval Latin
Greek/Latin
patriarchalis
“Relating to a patriarch or patriarchal authority.”
16th Century
English
patriarchal
“Relating to patriarchs, their authority, or rule by male heads of families.”
Modern English
English
patriarchal
“Describing institutions or societies in which men hold predominant social, political, or familial power.”