matriarchy
A form of social organization in which females hold primary power and predominate in roles of political leadership, moral authority, social privilege, and control of property.
In anthropology, strictly true political matriarchies are extremely rare; the term often refers to matrilineal or matrifocal societies where women hold significant authority.
Word relationships
- gynocracy: Gynocracy specifically means government by women, while matriarchy covers broader social and family structures.
- patriarchy: A social system governed primarily by men.
Commonly confused with
- matron: A matron is an older, mature married woman, not a system of governance.
Word family
- matriarchal (adjective): Relating to or characteristic of a matriarchy.
- matriarch (noun): A woman who is the head of a family or social group.
Collocations
- true matriarchy
- matriarchy structure
- myth of matriarchy
Example sentences
- "The Mosuo community of Southwestern China is often cited in discussions of matriarchy, though scholars prefer calling it a matrifocal society." Anthropological study
Memory hook
MATER (mother) + ARCH (ruler) = Rule of the mothers. Rule of the mothers.
When not to use
Avoid confusing with 'matrilineal', which specifically refers to tracing descent through female lines.
Fun facts
- 19th-century anthropologist Lewis Henry Morgan theorized that human societies evolved from ancient matriarchy to patriarchy, a theory later largely rejected by modern anthropologists.
Related words
Explore more words
matrilineal, matriarch, egalitarian, patrimony, patriarch, ambilineal
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