patriarch
patriarch
Definition
pa·tri·arch (pā′trē ärk′)
noun
- the father and ruler of a family or tribe, as one of the founders of the ancient Hebrew families: in the Bible, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Jacob's twelve sons were patriarchs
- a person regarded as the founder or father of a colony, religion, business, etc.
- a man of great age and dignity
- the oldest individual of a class or group
- a bishop in the early Christian Church, esp. a bishop of Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, or Jerusalem
- R.C.Ch. the pope (Patriarch of the West), or any of certain bishops ranking immediately after him, as the bishops of Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem
- Eastern Orthodox Ch. the highest-ranking bishop at Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, Moscow, Bucharest, etc.
- the jurisdictional head of any of certain other churches, as the Coptic, Nestorian, Armenian, etc.
- Mormon Ch. a high-ranking member of the Melchizedek priesthood
Etymology: ME patriarche < OFr < LL(Ec) patriarcha < Gr(Ec) patriarchēs (transl. of Heb roshe-avot) < Gr patria, family < patēr, father + -archēs < archein, to rule
patriarch
Synonyms
patriarch
Usage Examples
Converse of object
- age: The world said, ` Abraham is rich, ' but the aged patriarch only smiled.
- become: In 412 Cyril ( later St Cyril ) became patriarch of Alexandria.
- have: The orthodox churches have nine patriarchs and the Eastern Catholics have seven.
- see: When shall we see the first black Patriarch of Africa?
- call: When your mind moment by moment never differentiates, it may be called the living patriarch.
- beget: Scriptural pedigree is fascinating: " Isaac begat Jacob; Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs.
Adjective modifier
- exalted: There is considerable evidence to suggest that Apollonius was seen as an " exalted patriarch " in some sense.
- biblical: Were I to live to the age of the biblical patriarchs I can never forget the beauty of that scene.
- ancient: The Bishop of Jerusalem is now one of the four ancient Patriarchs who preside over the Eastern Churches.
- old: The newest prophet, even, is of a sight more consequence than the oldest patriarch.
- great: These similar and familiar stories are also ascribed to Menu, the great patriarch of Hindustan and also to Vishnu in his ninth incarnation.
- first: When shall we see the first black Patriarch of Africa?
Modifies a noun
- steven: Are where you patriarch steven imes a secret agenda the national research.
Noun used with modifier
- twelve: Do not the twelve patriarchs say, it is good to behold Christ?
- family: Family patriarch Misael has had shadowy skeletons rattling in his closet for nineteen years.
- testament: The prototype that most readily suggests itself is the Old Testament patriarch Joseph.
Possessives
- family: But Clive finds himself cast in Jim's long shadow and struggles to emerge from it as the family's new patriarch.
Preposition: of
patriarch Quotes
And night this toppling reed, still as the dead The great pike lies, the murderous patriarch, Watching the water-pit shelving and dark Where through the plash his lithe bright vassals tread.
Browse dictionary entries near patriarch
- patriarchal
- patriarchate
- patriarchy
- patriate
- Patricia
- patrician
- patriciate
- patricide
- Patrick
- patrilineal
