patr-

American  

1. variant of patri- before a vowel.

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Usage

What does patr- mean? The combining form patr- is used like a prefix meaning “father.” It is often used in a variety of scientific and technical terms, especially in anthropology. Patr- comes from Latin pater, meaning “father.” The Greek cognate, also meaning “father,” is patḗr, which is the source of patriarchy. Find out more at our entry for the word. The “mother” counterpart to patr- is matr-. What are variants of patr-?Patr- is a rare variant of patri-, which loses its -i- when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use patri- article.