paterfamilias

American  

[pey-ter-fuh-mil-ee-uhs, pah-, pat-er-] / ˌpeɪ tər fəˈmɪl i əs, ˌpɑ-, ˌpæt ər- /

noun

plural

paterfamiliases, patresfamilias

1. the male head of a household or family, usually the father.

2. Roman Law.

   1. the head of the Roman family; a juridical entity who holds the patria potestas.

   2. a person who is not under the patria potestas of another.

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paterfamilias British  

/ ˌpeɪtəfəˈmɪlɪˌæs /

noun

1. the male head of a household

2. Roman law

   1. the head of a household having authority over its members

   2. the parental or other authority of another person

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Other Word Forms

• paterfamiliar adjective
• paterfamiliarly adverb

Etymology

Origin of paterfamilias

1425–75; late Middle English < Latin: literally, father (i.e., master) of the household, with archaic genitive form familiās of familia; family

Explanation

A paterfamilias is the male head of a family, clan, or tribe. If you consider your grandfather to be the head of your family, you can call him a paterfamilias. The word paterfamilias comes from ancient Roman law. The word itself is Latin, combining pater, "father," and familias, "family." In other words, he was the father of the family — and in Rome, that meant that he had legal rights to everything the family owned and authority over each of its members. These days, the paterfamilias is more likely to simply preside over family reunions and hold grandchildren on his knee.

Example Sentences

He believes that this number accounts for roughly 3,000 individuals, because in many cases it was only the paterfamilias who was recorded in inscriptions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 2, 2026

This strict minister paterfamilias disapproved of his violist son, and in the wake of loss, Davis finds solace in music and womanly identity, slowly healing from estrangement.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2025

There were meant to be so many rebels that they could be split into 'five families', a label that even one paterfamilias privately lamented "makes us look ridiculous".

From BBC • Dec. 13, 2023

The current paterfamilias, Michel, who’s in his mid-60s, has been cooking his whole life, and while you could say he makes food, it feels more like an expression of love.

From New York Times • Nov. 22, 2023

And nor did I mistake for long Pierrot, much shriveled and with a shining pate I wanted to put my hand on, but still twinkly as ever and very much the paterfamilias.

From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan

Related Words

• elder
• founder
• grandfather
• ruler