patriarchate

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

patriarchate
    n 1: the jurisdiction of a patriarch
    2: a form of social organization in which a male is the family
       head and title is traced through the male line [syn:
       {patriarchy}, {patriarchate}]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Patriarchate \Pa`tri*ar"chate\ (p[=a]`tr[i^]*[aum]r"k[asl]t), n.
   [Cf. F. patriarcat.]
   1. The office, dignity, or jurisdiction of a patriarch.
      --Jer. Taylor.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. The residence of an ecclesiastic patriarch.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. (Ethnol.) A patriarchal form of government or society. See
      {Patriarchal}, a., 3.
      [1913 Webster]