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# matriarch

noun (a matriarch, matriarchs)

«matriarch» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A matriarch is a woman who is the head of a family or group, often the oldest and most respected. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/matriarch/#m1)
2. In animal groups like elephants, the matriarch is the old female who leads the herd. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/matriarch/#m2)

### In the lessons

In science, elephant herds are led by a matriarch who remembers where water is in drought. In family stories, the grandmother may be the matriarch whose word is law. Opposite: patriarch.

### Examples

- The matriarch led the elephants to the waterhole. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/matriarch/#x1)
- Granny is the matriarch of our family. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/matriarch/#x2)
- Everyone listened to the matriarch's advice. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/matriarch/#x3)
- Killer whale pods are led by matriarchs. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/matriarch/#x4)
- The old matriarch knew every path in the forest. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/matriarch/#x5)
- In the story, the matriarch ruled the family business. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/matriarch/#x6)

### Note

Pronounced «MAY-tree-ark». «Matri-» means mother. Opposite: patriarch.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «matriarch» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/matriarch/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«matriarch» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/matriarch.html) on Mova free.