# matriarchy

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈmeɪ.tɹiˌɑː.ki/ · frequency rank #89,608

## Definitions
1. A social system in which the mother is head of household, having authority over men and children, and lineage is traced through the female line.
2. A system of government by females (particularly as a kind of polity).
3. The dominance of women in social or cultural systems.

## Etymology
Coined after patriarchy, from Latin māter (“mother”) and Ancient Greek ἄρχω (árkhō, “I rule”). By surface analysis, matri- + -archy.

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