Matriarch

Definitions

The common definition of matriarchy is rule by women who hold a monopoly or near monopoly on power and dominate society. Historian Helen Diner describes matriarchies as "women monopolizing government." She described matriarchal Amazons as "an extreme, feminist wing" of humanity and that North African women "ruled the country politically" before being overthrown by forms of patriarchy and, according to Margot Adler, Diner "envision[ed] a dominance matriarchy." Other similar definitions focus on mothers, rather than women, governing and dominating society. Etymologically, the word matriarchy is from Latinmāter (genitive mātris), "mother" and Greek ἄρχειν arkhein, "to rule".