Basic Details
Word: Matriarch
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: A woman who is the head of a family or a social group, usually an older woman respected by everyone.
Word origin: Formed in the 1600s from Latin mater, mother, on the pattern of patriarch.
How to Spell Matriarch
Syllables: ma - tri - arch
Tricky part: The end is arch, but the ch is said like k. Students leave out the r before ch or write ark.
Watch out for: matriark, matriach, matrairch
Memory tip: Matriarch begins with matri, from mater, the Latin word for mother (as in maternal), and ends with arch, as in monarch, a ruler. A mother who rules: matri + arch.
Usage Examples
Example 1: At ninety, my great-grandmother is still the matriarch of our joint family.
Example 2: Every decision about the wedding had to be approved by the family matriarch.
Example 3: The novel tells the story of a strong matriarch who runs a tea estate.
Fun Fact
An elephant herd is led by a matriarch, usually its oldest female, and studies in East Africa have found that herds with older matriarchs are better at finding water during droughts.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell-o-Spell
One word in the list is misspelt. Choose the meaning of the misspelt word.
1. monarch 2. matriach 3. heir 4. dynasty
a) a king or queen
b) a person who will inherit money or a title
c) a woman who is the head of a family or group
d) a line of rulers from the same family
Show answer
c) a woman who is the head of a family or group. Matriach has dropped the r of arch; the word is matri-arch.
Word Cookie
Insert the correct letters to form a word:
m_tri_rch
a) a, a
b) e, a
c) a, e
d) o, a
Show answer
a) a, a. There is an a in ma and another in arch.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the word in the sentence and choose it:
Everyone waited quietly for the family's hcaramirt to cut the birthday cake.
a) matriarch
b) patriarch
c) monarch
d) matriarchy
Show answer
a) matriarch. The nine letters include m and no p or y, so they spell matriarch, not patriarch or matriarchy.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which word means the male head of a family?
a) patriarch
b) monarch
c) oligarch
d) matriarch
Show answer
a) patriarch
2. The ch in matriarch sounds like the ch in ____.
a) church
b) cheese
c) chef
d) chemist
Show answer
d) chemist
