Meaning & use
patriarchal society
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Meaning
nouncountable
A society in which men hold most of the power and authority in politics, family, and property.
Grammar: Countable; used with 'a' or in the plural 'patriarchal societies'.
Patterns
- a patriarchal society
- in a patriarchal society
- patriarchal societies
In a patriarchal society, inheritance often passes from father to son.
Many historians argue that ancient Rome was a patriarchal society.
She wrote her thesis on how women resist patriarchal societies.
Word forms
| plural | patriarchal societies |
|---|
Common combinations
- traditional patriarchal society
- The novel is set in a traditional patriarchal society.
- deeply patriarchal society
- The country remains a deeply patriarchal society despite legal reforms.
- structure of a patriarchal society
- The course examines the structure of a patriarchal society.
- live in a patriarchal society
- Many women live in a patriarchal society and still find ways to succeed.
Synonyms and how they differ
- male-dominated society
- More descriptive and less academic; it focuses on numbers or control rather than the whole system of male authority.
- patriarchy
- The abstract system or principle itself, not a specific society; you can say 'the patriarchy' but not 'a patriarchy society'.
Opposites
Word family
- patriarchy noun
- The social system in which men hold primary power.
- patriarchal adjective
- Describing something related to male authority.
- patriarch noun
- The male head of a family or tribe.
Commonly confused: patriarchal society or paternalistic?
patriarchal society vs paternalistic
Paternalistic means acting like a father by making decisions for others' good, not necessarily about male dominance in society.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'patriarchal society' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Option B correctly describes a society where men hold most power. Option A confuses 'society' with a club or organization. Option C uses 'society' in the sense of a club. Option D describes a dictatorship, not a patriarchal society.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “patriarchal society”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.