patriarch

Also found in: Thesaurus, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

pa·tri·arch

(pā′trē-ärk′)

1. A man who rules a family, clan, or tribe.

2. Bible

a. One of the antediluvian progenitors of the human race, from Adam to Noah.

b. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, or any of Jacob's 12 sons, the eponymous progenitors of the 12 tribes of Israel.

3. Used formerly as a title for the bishops of Rome, Constantinople, Jerusalem, Antioch, and Alexandria.

4. Roman Catholic Church A bishop who holds the highest episcopal rank after the pope.

5. Eastern Orthodox Church Any one of the bishops of the sees of Constantinople, Antioch, Alexandria, Moscow, and Jerusalem who has authority over other bishops.

6. Judaism The head of the Sanhedrin in Syrian Palestine from about 180 bc to ad 429.

7. Mormon Church A high dignitary of the priesthood empowered to invoke blessings.

8. One who is regarded as the founder or original head of an enterprise, organization, or tradition.

9. A very old, venerable man; an elder.

10. The oldest member of a group: the patriarch of the herd.

[Middle English patriarche, from Old French, from Late Latin patriarcha, from Greek patriarkhēs : patriā, lineage (from patēr, patr-, father; see pəter- in Indo-European roots) + -arkhēs, -arch.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

patriarch

(ˈpeɪtrɪˌɑːk)

1. (Anthropology & Ethnology) the male head of a tribe or family. Compare matriarch²

2. a very old or venerable man

3. (Bible) Old Testament any of a number of persons regarded as the fathers of the human race, divided into the antediluvian patriarchs, from Adam to Noah, and the postdiluvian, from Noah to Abraham

4. (Bible) Old Testament any of the three ancestors of the Hebrew people: Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob

5. (Bible) Old Testament any of Jacob's twelve sons, regarded as the ancestors of the twelve tribes of Israel

6. (Ecclesiastical Terms) Early Church the bishop of one of several principal sees, esp those of Rome, Antioch, and Alexandria

7. (Eastern Church (Greek & Russian Orthodox)) Eastern Orthodox Church the bishops of the four ancient principal sees of Constantinople, Antioch, Alexandria, and Jerusalem, and also of Russia, Romania, and Serbia, the bishop of Constantinople (the ecumenical Patriarch) being highest in dignity among these

8. (Roman Catholic Church) RC Church

a. a title given to the pope

b. a title given to a number of bishops, esp of the Uniat Churches, indicating their rank as immediately below that of the pope

9. (Protestantism) Mormon Church another word for Evangelist²

10. (Christian Churches, other) Eastern Christianity the head of the Coptic, Armenian, Syrian Jacobite, or Nestorian Churches, and of certain other non-Orthodox Churches in the East

11. the oldest or most venerable member of a group, community, etc: the patriarch of steam engines.

12. a person regarded as the founder of a community, tradition, etc

[C12: via Old French from Church Latin patriarcha]

ˌpatriˈarchal adj

ˌpatriˈarchally adv

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

pa•tri•arch

(ˈpeɪ triˌɑrk)

n.

1. the male head of a family or tribal line.

2. a person regarded as the father or founder of an order, class, etc.

3. any of the Biblical personages regarded as the fathers of the human race or any of the three great progenitors of the Israelites: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

4. any of the 12 sons of Jacob from whom the tribes of Israel were descended.

5. (in the early Christian church) any of the bishops of the sees of Alexandria, Antioch, Constantinople, Jerusalem, or Rome having authority over other bishops.

6. Gk. Orth. Ch. the head of any of the ancient sees of Alexandria, Antioch, Constantinople, or Jerusalem.

7. the head of certain other churches.

8. Rom. Cath. Ch.

a. the pope as patriarch of the West.

b. any of certain bishops of the Eastern rites.

9. any of the high Mormon dignitaries who pronounce the blessing of the church.

10. one of the elders or leading older members of a community.

11. a venerable old man.

[1175–1225; Middle English patriark(e) (< Old French) < Late Latin patriarcha < Late Greek patriárchēs high-ranking bishop, Greek: family head =patri(á) family, derivative of patḗr father + -archēs -arch]

pa`tri•ar′chal, pa`tri•ar′chic, adj.

patriarch

the head of any of the ancient sees or the see of another principal city or national church.

patriarch

noun father, old man, elder, grandfather, sire, paterfamilias, greybeard the patriarch of the clan

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

patriarch

noun

One that creates, founds, or originates:

architect, author, creator, entrepreneur, father, founder, inventor, maker, originator, parent.

Translations

بَطْرِيَرْك، بَطْرَكرب القَبيلَه

patriarcha

overhovedpatriark

Patriarch

patriarche

pátriárka

ættfaîirpatríarki

patriarca vegliardo

patriarchalinispatriarchaspatriarcho

patriarhs

patriark

патриарх

patriarcha

erkek aile reisipatrik

家长族长高级主教

patriarch

[ˈpeɪtrɪɑːk] N (Rel) → patriarca m

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

patriarch

[ˈpeɪtriɑː^rk] n → patriarche m

patriarch

n → Patriarch m

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

patriarch

[ˈpeɪtrɪˌɑːk] n → patriarca m

patriarch

(ˈpeitriaːk) noun

1. the male head of a family or tribe.

2. especially in the Eastern Orthodox Church, a high-ranking bishop.

ˌpatriˈarchal adjective

of, like, ruled by etc a patriarch or patriarchs. a patriarchal society/church.

References in classic literature ?

Nevertheless, in the Seraphic creature with the haymaking rake, were clearly to be discerned the rudiments of the Patriarch with the list shoes.

Patriarch was the name which many people delighted to give him.

View in context

Progress in the valley An Indian cavalier The captain falls into a lethargy A Nez Perce patriarch Hospitable treatment The bald head Bargaining Value of an old plaid cloak The family horse The cost of an Indian present

View in context

He hired the first cab he met and told the driver to go to the Patriarch's Ponds, where the widow Bazdeev's house was.

View in context

"Oh, the prophets hold over the patriarchs. The newest prophet, even, is of a sight more consequence than the oldest patriarch.

View in context

When perfect silence was again restored, and after the usual long, impressive pause, one of the two aged chiefs who sat at the side of the patriarch arose, and demanded aloud, in very intelligible English:

View in context

"It was a solemn and affecting sight," said Grandfather, "when this venerable patriarch, with his white beard flowing down upon his breast, took his seat in his chair of state.

View in context

Mr Lenville was a blooming warrior of most exquisite proportions; Mr Crummles, his large face shaded by a profusion of black hair, a Highland outlaw of most majestic bearing; one of the old gentlemen a jailer, and the other a venerable patriarch; the comic countryman, a fighting-man of great valour, relieved by a touch of humour; each of the Master Crummleses a prince in his own right; and the low-spirited lover, a desponding captive.

View in context

While this cry was at the loudest, the people were surprised by the well-known figure of Governor Bradstreet himself, a patriarch of nearly ninety, who appeared on the elevated steps of a door, and, with characteristic mildness, besought them to submit to the constituted authorities.

View in context

This learned dissertator, however valuable for his industry and erudition, is yet more to be esteemed for having dared so freely in the midst of France to declare his disapprobation of the Patriarch Oviedo's sanguinary zeal, who was continually importuning the Portuguese to beat up their drums for missionaries, who might preach the gospel with swords in their hands, and propagate by desolation and slaughter the true worship of the God of Peace.

View in context

The passage at which he was utterly unable to say anything, and began fidgeting and cutting the table and swinging his chair, was where he had to repeat the patriarchs before the Flood.

View in context

And behold, it was the five patriarchs that had been released from the dungeons the evening before!

Noun	1.	patriarch - title for the heads of the Eastern Orthodox Churches (in Istanbul and Alexandria and Moscow and Jerusalem) spiritual leader - a leader in religious or sacred affairs
	2.	patriarch - the male head of family or tribe paterfamilias head of household - the head of a household or family or tribe adult male, man - an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman); "there were two women and six men on the bus"
	3.	patriarch - any of the early biblical characters regarded as fathers of the human race antediluvian, antediluvian patriarch - any of the early patriarchs who lived prior to the Noachian deluge forefather, sire, father - the founder of a family; "keep the faith of our forefathers" Jacob - (Old Testament) son of Isaac; brother of Esau; father of the twelve patriarchs of Israel; Jacob wrestled with God and forced God to bless him, so God gave Jacob the new name of Israel (meaning `one who has been strong against God') Simeon - (Old Testament) the 2nd son of Jacob and one of the 12 patriarchs of Israel
	4.	patriarch - a man who is older and higher in rank than yourself graybeard, greybeard, old man, Methuselah - a man who is very old