patriarchate
patriarchate Lexical Profile
patriarchate Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The office, rank, ecclesiastical jurisdiction, or official residence of a Christian patriarch, particularly within the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, or Roman Catholic churches.
"The ancient cathedral has served as the seat of the ecumenical patriarchate for several centuries."
A form of social organization, tribe, or community governed by a male head or patriarch, in which descent and inheritance are traced through the male line.
"Anthropologists studied how the pastoral community transitioned from an egalitarian clan structure into a strict patriarchate."
Word Nuance & Usage
While 'patriarchy' is the standard sociological and political term for a male-dominated social system, 'patriarchate' is primarily used in ecclesiastical contexts to refer to the office, territory, or jurisdiction of an Eastern Christian or Roman Catholic patriarch.
• Rhymes for patriarchate
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Medieval Latin patriarchatus ('office of a patriarch'), derived from Late Latin patriarcha and Ancient Greek patriarkhēs ('chief or father of a family or tribe'), combining patēr ('father') and arkhēs ('ruler').