MATRILOCAL Meaning and
Definition
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Matrilocal is a term used in anthropology and sociology to describe a social arrangement whereby a married couple resides with or near the wife's family or community. In a matrilocal society, the wife typically remains in her birth community, and it is the husband who moves to join her family. This housing pattern is often seen as the opposite of patrilocal, where the couple resides with or near the husband's family.
In a matrilocal society, the wife's family plays a prominent role in social and economic matters. They are responsible for providing support, guidance, and protection to the married couple, and the husband may become integrated into the wife's family unit. Matrilocal arrangements can vary in their degree of intensity, ranging from a couple living in separate quarters within the wife's household to completely merging into her family's household. This type of living arrangement often strengthens the ties between the wife and her family, reinforcing matrilineal kinship systems or matrilineal inheritance practices.
Matrilocal societies can be found across the world, including parts of Asia, Africa, and Indigenous cultures. It is important to note that matrilocal does not necessarily mean matriarchal, as power dynamics and gender roles can vary within different matrilocal societies. Matrilocal living arrangements offer an alternative to more common patriarchal norms, providing insight into the diverse ways in which human societies organize themselves.
Common Misspellings for MATRILOCAL
- natrilocal
- katrilocal
- jatrilocal
- mztrilocal
- mstrilocal
- mwtrilocal
- mqtrilocal
- marrilocal
- mafrilocal
- magrilocal
- mayrilocal
- ma6rilocal
- ma5rilocal
- mateilocal
- matdilocal
- matfilocal
- mattilocal
- mat5ilocal
- mat4ilocal
- matrulocal
Etymology of MATRILOCAL
The word "matrilocal" is derived from two root words: "matri-" meaning mother, and "local" meaning place or pertaining to a specific location.
The term "matrilocal" was coined by anthropologists in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to describe a specific type of residence pattern found in certain cultures. It refers to the practice of a married couple residing with or near the wife's family or community, rather than with or near the husband's family. This term is often used in contrast to "patrilocal", which describes the opposite pattern where a married couple lives with or near the husband's family.
