matriarch: Meaning and Definition of

ma•tri•arch

Pronunciation: (mā'trē-ärk"), [key]
— n.
  1. the female head of a family or tribal line.
  2. a woman who is the founder or dominant member of a community or group.
  3. a venerable old woman.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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