title for the heads of the Eastern Orthodox Churches (in Istanbul and Alexandria and Moscow and Jerusalem)
"The Patriarch in Constantinople recently issued a statement addressing the ongoing crisis in the Middle East."
the male head of family or tribe
"After his father passed away, the eldest son stepped in as the new patriarch to lead the extended family and manage their ancestral lands."
any of the early biblical characters regarded as fathers of the human race
"Many scholars study how the patriarchs like Abraham and Isaac laid the foundation for later religious traditions."
a man who is older and higher in rank than yourself
"When I proposed my new plan to the department, the senior director politely dismissed it without even listening to my full argument."
The highest form of bishop, in the ancient world having authority over other bishops in the province but now generally as an honorary title; in Roman Catholicism, considered a bishop second only to the Pope in rank.
"After decades of service, the retired patriarch was honored with a ceremonial farewell by the cardinals who held him in such high regard within the church hierarchy."