matriarch
Clan's leading woman
A matriarch is the female head of a family, clan, or tribe—the woman who holds authority and commands respect across generations.
The term often applies to grandmothers or great-grandmothers who serve as the family's center of gravity: She was the matriarch who held the whole family together.
By extension, matriarch describes any venerable female leader or the oldest female in a group: the matriarch of the elephant herd.
Mother of a parent
- elderSenior figure of authority
- ancestorPredecessor in lineage
- dowagerTitled widow of nobility
- grande dameEsteemed senior woman
head of household · bloodline · heritage · kinship · family tree · genealogy · descendants · legacy
Dominant woman in group
- pack leaderDominant animal in group
- queen beeFertile leader of colony
- social hierarchyStratified arrangement of status
- whale podGroup of cetaceans
herd leader · bonobo · lioness · breeding rights · group cohesion
Females in positions of authority
- power structureOrganization of authority
- governanceHow authority is exercised
- tribal leaderHead of indigenous group
- chieftessFemale tribal leader
inheritance · property rights · decision maker · community elder · social order · female lineage · female dominance
Female name, Hebrew origin
- RebeccaHebrew name meaning "captivating"
- RachelFemale given name
- LeahBiblical matriarch's name
- EveGenesis matriarch
ancestress · covenant · Genesis · biblical women · Israelite · scripture · holy women · Old Testament
grandmother
Mother of a parent
grande dame · head of household · bloodline · heritage · kinship · family tree · genealogy · descendants · legacy · succession
alpha female
Dominant woman in group
- pack leaderDominant animal in group
- queen beeFertile leader of colony
- social hierarchyStratified arrangement of status
herd leader · whale pod · bonobo · lioness · breeding rights · group cohesion
women's leadership
Females in positions of authority
- power structureOrganization of authority
- governanceHow authority is exercised
- tribal leaderHead of indigenous group
chieftess · inheritance · property rights · decision maker · community elder · social order · female lineage · female dominance
Sarah
Female name, Hebrew origin
Eve · ancestress · covenant · Genesis · biblical women · Israelite · scripture · holy women · Old Testament · chosen people
matriarchpatriarch
Male head of family
family patriarch · paterfamilias · father · grandfather · dad
matriarchdaughter
Female child of parents
granddaughter · descendant · offspring · child · junior
matriarchyoungest child
Last-born offspring
junior member · subordinate · underling · follower · dependent
- matriarchal societyFemale-dominated social order
matriarchy, matriarchal, matriarchs, matriarchic, matriarchies