matriarchal
pronunciation
How to pronounce matriarchal in British English:
UK [ˌmeɪtriˈɑ:kl]
How to pronounce matriarchal in American English:
US [ˌmeɪtriˈɑrkl]
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- Adjective:
- characteristic of a matriarchy
Word Origin
- matriarchal (adj.)
- 1780 (in reference to bee colonies); see matriarch + -al (1); "patterned after patriarchy" [Barnhart]. Related: Matriarchally.
Example
- 1. In resident-type whales , they 're basically matriarchal societies , where the females are the center of the social structures .
- 2. Female elephants live together in a matriarchal clan , consisting of a mother with her grown-up daughters and all of their offspring .
- 3. Their society is predominantly matriarchal . They even have a sense of culture , passing information from one generation to the next .
- 4. Young elephants are raised within a matriarchal family of doting female caregivers , beginning with the birth mother and then branching out to include sisters , cousins , aunts , grandmothers , and established friends .