patriarch
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.
Other meanings
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.
Related words
- patriarchal
- patriarchdom
- patriarched
- patriarchess
- patriarchism
- Patriarchist
- patriarchist
- patriarchization
- patriarchize
- patriarchship
- anti-patriarch
Word history
From Ancient Greek "πατριά" (generation, ancestry, descent, tribe, family).
Where this comes from
This definition is adapted from “patriarch” on Wiktionary, by its contributors, published under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page is published under the same licence.