noun
patriarch
PAY-tree-ark/ˈpeɪtriɑːrk/
A father or respected older man who leads a family or group.
The family patriarch sits at the head of the table.
Etymology
The pieces combine “family or clan” with “to rule,” making a patriarch a family’s ruling head. The family word itself derives from “father,” linking paternal status with authority over the group.
In context
Morality alone can do this. The head of every family will be what Abraham was, the patriarch, the priest, and the unlettered lord of his family
More examples
- Everyone turns to the family patriarch for advice.
- As the band's aging patriarch, he mentors younger musicians.
- The two patriarchs gather their families for a reunion.
Forms
patriarch · patriarchs
patriarchal adjective — relating to rule by fathers or men