Meanings
nounpetticoat government (countable and uncountable, plural petticoat governments)
plural petticoat governments
- countabledatedderogatoryuncountableGovernment by women, whether in politics or domestic affairs.
On my honour, Mrs. Courtenaye, you will make me an advocate for petticoat government, after such a specimen of its excellent influence. Still, my young friend, I am like the rest of the world—cannot leave well alone—must have you up to town.
1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “Arrived at Home”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 88
Translations
Finnish akkavalta
- akkavaltagovernment by women
Cite this entry
APA
petticoat government. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/petticoat%20government
MLA
“petticoat government.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/petticoat%20government. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “petticoat government,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/petticoat%20government.
Source: petticoat government on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.