matriarch: Meaning and Definition of
ma•tri•arch
Pronunciation: (mā'trē-ärk"), [key] — n.
- the female head of a family or tribal line.
- a woman who is the founder or dominant member of a community or group.
- a venerable old woman.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.