patriarch

From Middle English patriark, patriarche, from Late Latin patriarcha; later reinforced by Old French patriarche, from Byzantine Greek πατριάρχης (patriárkhēs, “the founder of the tribe/family”), from Ancient Greek πατριά (patriá, “generation, ancestry, descent, tribe, family”) + -ᾰ́ρχης (-árkhēs, “-arch”), with some senses likely influenced directly by Latin pāter (“father”) or Ancient Greek πᾰτήρ (patḗr, “father”). Compare matriarch. By surface analysis, patri- +‎ -arch.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈpeɪtɹɪɑːk/, /ˈpætɹiɑːk/

• Audio (Southern England)

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• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈpeɪt͡ʃɹiɑɹk/

patriarch (plural patriarchs)

1. (Christianity) The highest form of bishop, in the ancient world having authority over other bishops in the province but now generally as an honorary title; in Roman Catholicism, considered a bishop second only to the Pope in rank. [from 9th c.]
2. In Biblical contexts, a male leader of a family, tribe or ethnic group, especially one of the twelve sons of Jacob (considered to have created the twelve tribes of Israel) or (in plural) Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. [from 13th c.]
   • 1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, Acts ij:[29], folio clvj, recto:

     Men and brethren / lett me frely ſpeake vnto you of the patriarke David: For he is both deed and buryed / and his ſepulcre remayneth with vs vnto this daye.

3. A founder of a political or religious movement, an organization or an enterprise. [from 16th c.]
4. An old leader of a village or community.
   • 1819 June 23, Geoffrey Crayon [pseudonym; Washington Irving], “Rip Van Winkle”, in The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., number I, New York, N.Y.: […] C. S. Van Winkle, […], →OCLC, page 68:

     The opinions of this junto were completely controlled by Nicholas Vedder, a patriarch of the village, and landlord of the inn, at the door of which he took his seat from morning till night, just moving sufficiently to […] keep in the shade of a large tree; […]

5. The male progenitor of a genetic or tribal line, or of a clan or extended family.

   Synonyms: ancestor, forebear, forefather

6. The male head of a household or nuclear family.

   Synonyms: highfather, paterfamilias

• matriarch, materfamilias

• anti-patriarch

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patriarch m (plural patriarchen, diminutive patriarchje n, feminine matriarch)

1. patriarch