Meaning & use
patriarchy
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Meanings
nouncountable or uncountable
A social system in which men hold most of the power, authority and property, and descent is traced through the male line.
Grammar: Usually uncountable as a concept: living under patriarchy; countable when comparing societies.
Patterns
- challenge the patriarchy
- live in a patriarchy
Many historians describe medieval Europe as a patriarchy in which women could not own much property.
The author argues that patriarchy shapes who gets promoted at work.
Activists campaigned against patriarchy in education and law.
nouncountablespecialist
A family, community or organization led by the oldest male member.
Grammar: Used for a specific group: the family was a patriarchy.
Patterns
- a patriarchy led by someone
The tribe was a patriarchy, with decisions made by the eldest man.
In the novel the family is a strict patriarchy ruled by the grandfather.
Word forms
| plural | patriarchies |
|---|
Common combinations
- dismantle the patriarchy
- The group wants to dismantle the patriarchy.
- challenge patriarchy
- The film challenges patriarchy in a quiet way.
- deeply rooted patriarchy
- The country has a deeply rooted patriarchy.
- system of patriarchy
- The essay explores the system of patriarchy in politics.
- patriarchy and capitalism
- She studies patriarchy and capitalism.
Synonyms and how they differ
- male dominance
- Male dominance is plainer and describes a situation, while patriarchy names a whole social system.
- paternalism
- Paternalism is about treating people like children for their own good, not about men holding power.
- androcracy
- Androcracy is a rare, technical word for rule by men and is much less used than patriarchy.
Opposites
Word family
- patriarch noun
- a man who is the head of a family or tribe
- patriarchal adjective
- relating to rule by men
- patriarchally adverb
- in a patriarchal way
- matriarchy noun
- a system led by women
Commonly confused: patriarchy or patriotism? patriarchy or patrician?
patriarchy vs patriotism
Patriotism is love for one's country, but patriarchy is about male power in society.
patriarchy vs patrician
A patrician is a person of high birth in a society, not a system led by men.
Practice
A society where men hold most of the formal power is best described as a ____.
Choose one answer.
Patriarchy describes rule or dominance by men. Matriarchy is its opposite, and democracy and monarchy describe other forms of government.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “patriarchy”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.