Definition

Adjective: 1. Relating to or characteristic of a patriarchic system: Describes a society, family structure, or system that is ruled by or dominated by men, typically the eldest male or father figure, and where lineage is traced through the male line.

Usage

The adjective "patriarchic" is used to describe social organizations, customs, or power structures. It is a formal term often found in sociological, anthropological, or historical contexts. - It modifies nouns like society, system, structure, family, values, or rule. - It describes a state or characteristic, not an action.

Examples

• The ancient Roman family was a patriarchic unit with the holding absolute authority.
• Anthropologists studied the transition from patriarchic tribes to more egalitarian communities.
• His novel critiques the patriarchic norms of 19th-century society.

Advanced Usage

• "patriarchic hegemony": Refers to the dominant influence or control exerted by a male-centered power structure in a society.
• "inherently patriarchic institutions": Describes established organizations or systems (e.g., certain religious or legal bodies) whose fundamental nature is based on male authority.

Variants and Related Words

• Patriarchal (adj): This is the far more common and frequently used synonym for "patriarchic." The meanings are virtually identical.
• Patriarchy (n): The actual system, society, or state in which men hold the power and women are largely excluded from it.
  • She wrote a thesis on the foundations of patriarchy in early agricultural societies.
• Patriarch (n): A male head of a family or tribe; a venerable old man.
  • The patriarch of the clan made all major decisions.

Synonyms

• Patriarchal: Male-dominated, father-ruled.
• Paternalistic: (While related, this implies a system where authority is exercised in a way that limits autonomy, like a father would, and is not a perfect synonym.)
• Male-dominated: A more general, less technical term.

Antonyms

• Matriarchic / Matriarchal: Relating to a system ruled by or tracing descent through the female line.
• Egalitarian: Believing in or based on the principle that all people are equal and deserve equal rights and opportunities.

Adjective

1. (of societies) being ruled by or having descent traced through the male line