paterfamilias

[ pey-ter-fuh-mil-ee-uh s, pah-, pat-er- ]
/ ˌpeɪ tər fəˈmɪl i əs, ˌpɑ-, ˌpæt ər- /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR paterfamilias ON THESAURUS.COM

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.
  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.

Origin of paterfamilias

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

OTHER WORDS FROM paterfamilias

pa·ter·fa·mil·iar, adjective pa·ter·fa·mil·iar·ly, adverb

Words nearby paterfamilias

patentee, patently, patentor, pater, pater patriae, paterfamilias, paternal, paternalism, paternity, paternity leave, paternity suit

Words related to paterfamilias

elder, ruler, founder, grandfather, originator, head, author, generator, sire, father, chief, master, architect, senior, ancestor, creator, maker, inventor, gaffer, graybeard

Example sentences from the Web for paterfamilias

British Dictionary definitions for paterfamilias

paterfamilias
/ (ˌpeɪtəfəˈmɪlɪˌæs) /

noun plural patresfamilias (ˌpɑːtreɪzfəˈmɪlɪˌæs)

the male head of a household
Roman law
  1. the head of a household having authority over its members
  2. the parental or other authority of another person

Word Origin for paterfamilias

Latin: father of the family