Matriarchy

mā′tri-är-ki, n. government by a mother or by mothers, esp. a primitive order of society existing in many Indian tribes, in which the mother takes precedence of the father in tracing line of descent and in inheritance: descent in the female line.— ns. Mā′triarch , a woman in whom matriarchy rests: a patriarch's wife.— adj. Matriar′chal .— ns. Matriar′chalism , the character of po e ing matriarchal customs; Matriar′chate , the position of a matriarch. [Gr. mētēr , mother, archos , a ruler.]