patria potestas

American  

[pey-tree-uh poh-tes-tuhs, pah-, pa-, pah-tri-ah poh-tes-tahs] / ˈpeɪ tri ə poʊˈtɛs təs, ˈpɑ-, ˈpæ-, ˈpɑ trɪˌɑ poʊˈtɛs tɑs /

noun

Roman Law.

1. the power vested in the paterfamilias or head of the Roman family with respect to his wife, natural or adopted children, and agnatic descendants: title to family property is vested exclusively in the paterfamilias, property acquired by a family member becomes family property, and no family member can enter into a transaction in their own right.

---

Etymology

Origin of patria potestas

From Latin: literally, “paternal power”

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

patria potestas

Some enslaved people were sold into bondage through patria potestas.

From Textbooks ● Apr. 19, 2023

The patria potestas, the authority of the father, was absolute.

From Salon ● Oct. 23, 2022

In the West, however, the individual has become the civil unit; the "patria potestas" has thus been all but lost.

From Evolution Of The Japanese, Social And Psychic by Gulick, Sidney Lewis

With what merry scorn would she have met this assertion of the patria potestas from the mouth of a sound brother!

From Lady Merton, Colonist by Ward, Humphry, Mrs.

Agnation was founded on the idea of the family held together by the patria potestas; cognatio involves simply the modern idea of kindred.

From The Project Gutenberg Encyclopedia Volume 1 of 28 by Project Gutenberg