materfamilias
/ˌmeɪtəfəˈmɪlɪas
/noun (plural matresfamilias /ˌmeɪtriːzfəˈmɪlɪas/)
The female head of a family or household. Compare with paterfamilias.On visiting the Ancestral Perch last weekend, the pending ethics upgrade of our electricity was discussed with the materfamilias....
- The restaurant, whose kitchen is presided over by a distinguished-looking materfamilias, is one of those too-rare places where I order with confidence, knowing I will seldom be disappointed.
- The debut album's lead single is a guitar-driven sing along that recalls the flamboyant heyday of Elton John as it charts a champagne fueled evening out on the town with the materfamilias.
Origin
Latin, from mater 'mother' + familias, old genitive form of familia 'family'.