Matrifocal is an adjective that means ‘based on the mother as the head of the family or household.’

The Latin word mater (MA ter) means mother. This mother has given birth to many English words like ‘maternity’ and ‘maternal.’ It’s also the basis for our word of the day. Matrifocal could be thought of as a synonym for matriarchal. Example:

In college, I studied matrifocal societies. It was fascinating to learn about cultures that place mothers as the leaders of the home.