paterfamilias
[ pey-ter-fuh-mil-ee-uh s, pah-, pat-er- ]
/ ˌpeɪ tər fəˈmɪl i əs, ˌpɑ-, ˌpæt ər- /
noun, plural pa·ter·fa·mil·i·as·es for 1, pa·tres·fa·mil·i·as [pey-treez-fuh-mil-ee-uh s, pah-, pa-] /ˌpeɪ triz fəˈmɪl i əs, ˌpɑ-, ˌpæ-/ for 2.
the male head of a household or family, usually the father.
Roman Law.
- the head of the Roman family; a juridical entity who holds the patria potestas.
- a person who is not under the patria potestas of another.
Nearby words
patently, patentor, pater, pater patriae, pater, walter horatio, paterfamilias, paternal, paternalism, paternalist, paternalistic, paternally
Origin of paterfamilias
Related formspa·ter·fa·mil·iar, adjectivepa·ter·fa·mil·iar·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for paterfamilias
British Dictionary definitions for paterfamilias
paterfamilias
/ (ˌpeɪtəfəˈmɪlɪˌæs) /
noun plural patresfamilias (ˌpɑːtreɪzfəˈmɪlɪˌæs)
the male head of a household
Roman law
- the head of a household having authority over its members
- the parental or other authority of another person
Word Origin for paterfamilias
Latin: father of the family
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for paterfamilias
paterfamilias
early 15c., from Latin pater familias "master of a house, head of a family," from pater "father" (see father (n.)) + familias, old genitive of familia "family" (see family).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper