patriarch

noun Etymology: Middle English patriarche, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin patriarcha, from Greek patriarchēs, from patria lineage (from patr-, patēr father) + -archēs -arch — more at father Date: 13th century 1. a. one of the scriptural fathers of the human race or of the Hebrew people b. a man who is father or founder c. (1) the oldest member or representative of a group (2) a venerable old man d. a man who is head of a patriarchy 2. a. any of the bishops of the ancient or Eastern Orthodox sees of Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem or the ancient and Western see of Rome with authority over other bishops b. the head of any of various Eastern churches c. a Roman Catholic bishop next in rank to the pope with purely titular or with metropolitan jurisdiction 3. a Mormon of the Melchizedek priesthood empowered to perform the ordinances of the church and pronounce blessings within a stake or prescribed jurisdiction