# patriarch vs patriarchy

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### patriarch
*noun · IPA /ˈpeɪtɹɪɑːk/ · frequency rank #19,413*
The highest form of bishop, in the ancient world having authority over other bishops in the province but now generally as an honorary title; in Roman Catholicism, considered a bishop second only to the Pope in rank.

### patriarchy
*noun · IPA /ˈpejtɹiɑɹki/ · frequency rank #24,857*
A social system in which the father is head of the household, having authority over women and children, and in which lineage is traced through the male line.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/patriarch-vs-patriarchy