lares and penates

American  

plural noun

1. Roman Religion. Lares and Penates, the benevolent spirits and gods of the household.

2. the cherished possessions of a family or household.

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lares and penates British  

/ ˈlɛəriːz, ˈlɑː- /

plural noun

1. Roman myth

   1. household gods

   2. statues of these gods kept in the home

2. the valued possessions of a household

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Etymology

Origin of lares and penates

1765–75; < Latin Larēs ( et ) Penātēs

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lares and penates

Her lares and penates range from Ella Fitzgerald to Frank Sinatra and Peggy Lee.

From Time Magazine Archive

I therefore resolved to take my lares and penates to France, where, at the moment, the pulse of the world was throbbing most strongly.

From An Autobiography by Igor Stravinsky

"Jove," he murmured, "it's good to be back again to the lares and penates."

From Fairfax and His Pride by Marie Van Vorst

There, for reasons understood then only by himself, had Sir Adrian elected, about the "year seven" of this century and in the prime of his age, to transplant his lares and penates.

From The Light of Scarthey by Egerton Castle

But his father had thoughtfully taken an armful of lares and penates; and the accommodating nature of his son was, therefore, more conspicuous.

From Cobwebs from an Empty Skull by Ambrose Bierce

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