Patriarch definitions and example sentences on Wordnik

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Definitions (23)

American Heritage Dictionary (11)

noun A man who rules a family, clan, or tribe.
noun Bible One of the antediluvian progenitors of the human race, from Adam to Noah.
noun Bible Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, or any of Jacob's 12 sons, the eponymous progenitors of the 12 tribes of Israel.

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Century Dictionary (7)

The father and ruler of a family; one who governs by paternal right; specifically, one of the progenitors of the Israelites—Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the sons of Jacob; also, one of those Biblical personages who were heads of families before the deluge: the latter are termed antediluvian patriarchs. In that Toun dwelled Abraham the Patriark, a longe tyme. Mandeville, Travels, p. 65. And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt; but God was with him. Acts vii. 9. And thousand pairs of liuing things besides, Vnclean and clean; for th’ holy Patriark Had of all kinds inclosed in the Ark. Sylvester, tr. of Du Bartas's Weeks, ii., The Ark.
Hence In subsequent Jewish history, one of the heads of the Sanhedrim after the destruction of Jerusalem and the dispersion, the patriarch of the Western Jews residing in Palestine, that of the Eastern in Babylon.
In the early church, and in the Orthodox Greek and other Oriental churches, a bishop of the highest rank; in the Roman Catholic Church, a bishop of the highest rank next after the Pope. In the early church the highest dignity, which came in time to be designated as that of patriarch, belonged from time immemorial, and as was believed from apostolic days, to the bishops of Rome, Alexandria, and Antioch—these three sees ranking as to dignity, precedence, and privileges in the order named. The Council of Constantinople (a. d. 381)gave the bishop of that see prerogatives of rank next after Rome, and the Council of Chalcedon (451) confirmed this, decreeing that this canon conferred an equality of prerogatives with Rome, still leaving the latter see, however, a higher rank. Since that time Constantinople has always stood at the head of the orthodox Oriental sees, and since the sixth century its bishop has borne the title of ecumenical patriarch. The patriarchal dignity of Jerusalem was not recognized till the Council of Chalcedon. Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem still remain the four great patriarchates of the orthodox Eastern Church. In 1582 Moscow was made a patriarchate, ranking next after these, but since 1721 the place of patriarch of Moscow has been represented by the Holy Governing Synod. Besides the orthodox Oriental patriarchs, there are others, representing the Armenian, Jacobite, Coptic, and other Oriental churches, and also Latin or Roman Catholic titular patriarchs of the same sees. In the Roman Catholic Church the Pope is regarded as having in his papal capacity a rank superior to his rank as patriarch, and the cardinals also take precedence of patriarchs. There are also three minor patriarchs in the Roman Catholic Church—of the Indies, of Lisbon, and of Venice. The title of patriarch seems to have first come into use in the Christian church in imitation of a similar title given to the head of a Jewish patria, or group of communities. In general usage it was apparently first given, without definite limitation, to senior bishops or bishops of special eminence. The bishops of the great patriarchal sees were at first called archbishops (in the older sense of that title). From the fourth century the title of patriarch came to be commonly applied to the bishops of the patriarchal sees, and is so used in imperial laws of the sixth century. It was not, however, till the ninth century that it became strictly limited to these. Exarchs, metropolitans, and archbishops rank next after patriarchs. See catholicos. The Primate of all England was also Patriarch of all the British islands. E. A. Freeman, Norman Conquest, V. 158. In correctness of speech, we are assured by Theodore Balsamon, the Patriarch of Antioch is the only Prelate who has a claim to that title—the proper appellation of the Bishops of Rome and Alexandria being Pope; of Constantinople and Jerusalem, Archbishop. J. M. Neale, Eastern Church, i. 126.

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This is one of the few pieces of theology in the Antiquities , and we are fain to believe that he borrowed it from Nicholas, who is quoted immediately afterwards, or from pseudo-Hecataeus, a Jewish pseudepigraphic historian, to whom a book on the patriarch was ascribed. — Josephus
He understood physical contact with their patriarch was the Cabalists only taboo, and yet two of them were being beckoned into the First's arms by the man himself The errant Cabalists stepped woodenly forward shuffling like sleepwalkers. — SCOTT McGOUGH
The 82-year-old Sena patriarch was admitted to Lilavati hospital in suburban Bandra on February 26 after he complained of fever and weakness. — Daily News & Analysis
- Ralph Stanley is known as the patriarch of bluegrass. — The Herald-Mail Online
Jasmatbhai Patel is described as the patriarch, who was on his way to help at the family fruit market when set upon in west Auckland. — ta tvnz national headlines auto group

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pastor · prophet · prelate · abbot · sire · matron · chieftain · ruler · dean · apostle · founder · bishop

Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary. Copyright © 2003, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Etymologies (2)

American Heritage Dictionary (1)

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.

Century Dictionary (1)

Early modern English also patriark; from Middle English patriark, patriarke = Old French patriarche, French patriarche = Spanish patriarca = Portuguese patriarca, patriarcha = Italian patriarca = D. G. patriarch = Swedish Danish patriark, from Late Latin patriarcha, patriarches, from Greek πατριάρχης, the chief of a tribe or race, from πατριά, lineage, a race (from πατήρ, father), + ἄρχειν, rule.

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