'pre-patriarchal' originates from Modern English, formed by the prefix 'pre-' (from Latin 'prae') meaning 'before' plus 'patriarchal' (from 'patriarch' + '-al').

'patriarch' comes from Greek 'patriarchēs' (from 'patria' meaning 'family, lineage' + 'archē' meaning 'rule'), passed into Late Latin as 'patriarcha' and then into Middle English as 'patriarch', with the adjective 'patriarchal' developing later; the prefix 'pre-' was attached in Modern English to indicate temporal precedence, yielding 'pre-patriarchal'.

Initially the roots referred to 'the rule of the father(s)' (patriarchy); over time 'patriarchal' came to describe broader social systems dominated by men, and 'pre-patriarchal' came to denote conditions or periods before such systems were established.