DEFINITION · LEARNING NOTES
Patriarchy
Πατριαρχία
Short definition
A social system in which men disproportionately hold authority and women face structural disadvantages.
Κοινωνικό σύστημα όπου οι άνδρες κατέχουν δυσανάλογα την εξουσία και οι γυναίκες αντιμετωπίζουν δομικά μειονεκτήματα.
Context & interpretation
This describes patterns of power, not a claim that every man has power over every woman. Forms vary across time and societies.
Περιγράφει σχέσεις εξουσίας, όχι ότι κάθε άνδρας εξουσιάζει κάθε γυναίκα. Οι μορφές διαφέρουν ανά εποχή και κοινωνία.
The term is used differently in sociology, feminist theory, political theory, anthropology and everyday discussion. It can describe household authority, institutions or wider patterns of social power. The source offers one approach, not a complete account of every school of thought.
Why it matters
It gives readers a way to ask who makes decisions, whose work is recognised and how unequal authority is reproduced. A useful analysis names the institution, place and period involved instead of treating all women’s experiences as identical.
Read more & sources
GYNĒMA learning notes, added 7 October 2026. Definitions are not legal advice. Legal meanings and remedies depend on the jurisdiction. Some institutional glossaries contain older terminology; check the source’s date and context.