neopatriarchy
/ˌniːəʊˈpeɪtɹɪɑːkɪ/
neopatriarchy · noun — modern patriarchy, especially as exercised within the nuclear family rather than wider society. It carries an Arena rating of 1004, earned across 130 head-to-head judged battles.
Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, neopatriarchy ranks #416 of 17,138 for Most Incisive Words, #3,456 of 17,151 for The Improbable, #3,619 of 17,131 for Scariest Words, #4,636 of 17,128 for Most Ponderous Words.
neopatriarchy is pronounced /ˌniːəʊˈpeɪtɹɪɑːkɪ/.
Why “neopatriarchy” is a great word
NEOPATRIARCHY — [Noun] A modern system of male dominance exercised primarily within the nuclear family, rather than across all major societal institutions. From the combining form neo- ("new, contemporary") + patriarchy (from Greek patria, "family, clan" + -archia, "rule"), meaning "dominance of men in social or cultural systems." Unlike the monolithic, public-facing power of historical "patriarchy," or the conceptual inversion of "matriarchy," neopatriarchy denotes a strategic retreat into the domestic redoubt. It is the father’s subtle veto over a career path framed as protective concern, the deferral of a mother’s ambitions recast as logistical necessity, and the quiet, daily rehearsal of gendered roles behind a front door that ostensibly promises equality. The ancient architecture of rule has been quietly rebuilt with modern materials.
❧ Written by Lexicurio’s AI
Etymology
From neo- (“new, contemporary”) + patriarchy (“dominance of men in social or cultural systems”).
noun
- Modern patriarchy, especially as exercised within the nuclear family rather than wider society.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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