patriarch

Noun
  1. Title for the heads of the Eastern Orthodox Churches (in Istanbul and Alexandria and Moscow and Jerusalem) (synset 110426650)
    is a type of: spiritual leader - a leader in religious or sacred affairs
    specific instances:
    • nestorius - Syrian who was a Christian bishop and Patriarch of Constantinople in the early fifth century; one of the major heresies concerning the doctrine of the hypostasis of Christ was named after him (died in 451)
    • photius - Patriarch of Constantinople and saint of the Greek Orthodox Church; was condemned by the Fourth Council of Constantinople in 869 but was reinstated by a later pope
  2. The male head of family or tribe (synset 110426510)
    is a type of:
    same as: paterfamilias
  3. Any of the early biblical characters regarded as fathers of the human race (synset 110426136)
    is a type of: father, forefather, sire - the founder of a family
    subtypes:
    • antediluvian, antediluvian patriarch - any of the early patriarchs who lived prior to the Noachian deluge
    • jacob - (Old Testament) son of Isaac; brother of Esau; father of the twelve patriarchs of Israel; Jacob wrestled with God and forced God to bless him, so God gave Jacob the new name of Israel (meaning `one who has been strong against God')
    • simeon - (Old Testament) the 2nd son of Jacob and one of the 12 patriarchs of Israel
    specific instances:
    • abraham, ibrahim - the first of the Old Testament patriarchs and the father of Isaac; according to Genesis, God promised to give Abraham's family (the Hebrews) the land of Canaan (the Promised Land); God tested Abraham by asking him to sacrifice his son
    • benjamin - (Old Testament) the youngest and best-loved son of Jacob and Rachel and one of the twelve forebears of the tribes of Israel
    • isaac - (Old Testament) the second patriarch; son of Abraham and Sarah who was offered by Abraham as a sacrifice to God; father of Jacob and Esau
    • ishmael - (Old Testament) the son of Abraham who was cast out after the birth of Isaac; considered the forebear of 12 Arabian tribes
    • issachar - (Old Testament) a son of Jacob and a forebear of one of the tribes of Israel
    • joseph - (Old Testament) the 11th son of Jacob and one of the 12 patriarchs of Israel; Jacob gave Joseph a coat of many colors, which made his brothers jealous and they sold him into slavery in Egypt
    • judah - (Old Testament) the fourth son of Jacob who was forebear of one of the tribes of Israel; one of his descendants was to be the Messiah
    • methuselah - (Old Testament) a patriarch (grandfather of Noah) who is said to have lived 969 years
    • noah - the Hebrew patriarch who saved himself and his family and the animals by building an ark in which they survived 40 days and 40 nights of rain; the story of Noah and the flood is told in the Book of Genesis
    • reuben - (Old Testment) a son of Jacob and forefather of one of the tribes of Israel
  4. A man who is older and higher in rank than yourself (synset 110426011)
    is a type of: graybeard, greybeard, methuselah, old man - a man who is very old

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