1. The father and ruler of a family; one who governs his family or descendants by paternal right; — usually applied to heads of families in ancient history, especially in Biblical and Jewish history to those who lived before the time of Moses.
2. (R. C. Ch. & Gr. Ch.)
Defn: A dignitary superior to the order of archbishops; as, the patriarch of Constantinople, of Alexandria, or of Antioch.
3. A venerable old man; an elder. Also used figuratively. The patriarch hoary, the sage of his kith and the hamlet. Longfellow. The monarch oak, the partiarch of trees. Dryde.
PATRIARCHAL
Pa`tri*ar"chal, a. Etym: [Cf. F. patriarcal.]
1. Of or pertaining to a patriarch or to patriarchs; possessed by, or subject to, patriarchs; as, patriarchal authority or jurisdiction; a patriarchal see; a patriarchal church.
2. Characteristic of a patriarch; venerable. About whose patriarchal knee Late the little children clung. Tennyson.
3. (Ethnol.)
Defn: Having an organization of society and government in which the head of the family exercises authority over all its generations. Patriarchal cross (Her.), a cross, the shaft of which is intersected by two transverse beams, the upper one being the smaller. See Illust. (2) of Cross. — Patriarchal dispensation, the divine dispensation under which the patriarchs lived before the law given by Moses.
PATRIARCHATE
Pa`tri*ar"chate, n. Etym: [Cf. F. patriarcat.]