Patriarchy Meaning
/ˈpejtɹiɑɹki/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA social system in which the father is head of the household, having authority over women and children, and in which lineage is traced through the male line.
nounA power structure in which men are dominant.
Sentence Examples
Patriarchy is seen by some ideological groups as necessary for society.
The woman said: “Men are amazing. All hail the patriarchy”.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The country's old strict ____ kept women from voting for many years.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Feminist scholars argue that ____ has shaped social institutions in ways that disadvantage women.
Word Origin & History
From Latin patriarchia, from Byzantine Greek πατριαρχία (patriarkhía), from Koine Greek πατριάρχης (patriárkhēs, “patriarch”), from πατρία (patría) and ἄρχω (árkhō). By surface analysis, patri- + -archy.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"England is under the rule of a patriarchy."
— 1929, Virginia Woolf, A Room of One’s Own:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The country's old strict ____ kept women from voting for many years.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Feminist scholars argue that ____ has shaped social institutions in ways that disadvantage women.