matriarch
/ˈmeɪtɹɪˌɑːk/
"matriarch" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“matriarch” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #41,243 in English word frequency and used as a noun.
- #41,243
- frequency rank, English
- 9
- letters
- 14
- tracked misspellings
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A female leader of a family, a tribe or an ethnic or religious group.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | matriarch |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˈmeɪtɹɪˌɑːk/ |
| Letters | 9 |
| Frequency rank | #41,243 |
| Misspellings tracked | 14 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “matriarch” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for matriarch is 9 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈmeɪtɹɪˌɑːk/. Corpus data places it at rank #41,243 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for matriarch, with forms such as "amtriarch", "martiarch", and "matirarch". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.
Etymologically, the entry records: Of Latin origin, via or reinforced by Old French matriarche, from Latin māter (“mother”) + -archa, -arches, from Ancient Greek -άρχης (-árkhēs), from ἀρχός (arkhós, “chief”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ergʰ- (“to begin, rule, command”). By surfa… The correct English form is matriarch, spelled M-A-T-R-I-A-R-C-H.
Definition
- 1A female leader of a family, a tribe or an ethnic or religious group.
- 2A female leader of a family, a tribe or an ethnic or religious group.
- 3A female founder of a political or religious movement, an organization or an enterprise.
Etymology
Of Latin origin, via or reinforced by Old French matriarche, from Latin māter (“mother”) + -archa, -arches, from Ancient Greek -άρχης (-árkhēs), from ἀρχός (arkhós, “chief”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ergʰ- (“to begin, rule, command”). By surface analysis, matri- + -arch.
Synonyms
Antonyms
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: amtriarch,martiarch,matirarch,matrairch,matriacrh,matriarcch,matriarchh,matriarhc,matriarrch,matrirach,matrriarch,mattriarch,mmatriarch,mtariarch
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of matriarch - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you spell "matriarch"?
What does "matriarch" mean?
What are common misspellings of "matriarch"?
How do you pronounce "matriarch"?
What is the origin of the word "matriarch"?
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Using “matriarch”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is M-A-T-R-I-A-R-C-H - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈmeɪtɹɪˌɑːk/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source
Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.