noun
- a social system or practice in which a married couple lives with or near the wife's family rather than the husband's family
Usage: anthropology; ethnography
Examples
- In some cultures, matrilocality is the traditional living arrangement after marriage.
- The anthropologist studied matrilocality among indigenous communities in the Pacific Islands.
- Matrilocality often strengthens the bond between a woman and her natal family.
- This society practices matrilocality, where the husband joins his wife's household.
- Matrilocality can influence inheritance patterns and property ownership within a family.