Definition of PATRIARCH

patriarch

Meanings

Plural: patriarchs

Noun

  • title for the heads of the Eastern Orthodox Churches (in Istanbul and Alexandria and Moscow and Jerusalem)
  • the male head of family or tribe
  • any of the early biblical characters regarded as fathers of the human race
  • a man who is older and higher in rank than yourself
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • A founder of a political or religious movement, an organization or an enterprise.
  • An old leader of a village or community.
  • The male progenitor of a genetic or tribal line, or of a clan or extended family.
  • The male head of a household or nuclear family.

Origin / Etymology

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 (-ắrkhēs, “-arch”), with some senses likely influenced directly by Latin pāter (“father”) or Ancient Greek πᾰτήρ (pătḗr, “father”). Compare matriarch. By surface analysis, patri- + -arch.

Scrabble Score: 16

patriarch is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
patriarch is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
patriarch is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 17

patriarch is a valid Words With Friends word