pat
riar
chy
Plural
patriarchies
1
a broader social or political system in which men hold primary power and women are largely excluded from leadership, decision-making, or influence
- The corporate world has historically been dominated by patriarchy.
- Laws and customs reinforced patriarchy in the government and judiciary.
- Patriarchy shapes societal expectations of men and women.
- Movements for women's rights challenge the structures of patriarchy.
- Media representations often perpetuate patriarchy in subtle ways.
2
a family or kinship system in which a male serves as the head and lineage is traced through the male line
- In traditional patriarchies, the eldest male inherits the family estate.
- The tribe followed a strict patriarchy with authority vested in men.
- The patriarch exercised control over family decisions within the patriarchy.
- Patriarchy determined family roles and responsibilities in historical societies.
- Anthropologists studied the evolution of patriarchy across cultures.
Synonyms: