patresfamilias

[ pey-treez-fuh-mil-ee-uh s, pah-, pa- ]
/ ˌpeɪ triz fəˈmɪl i əs, ˌpɑ-, ˌpæ- /

noun

a plural of paterfamilias.

Words nearby patresfamilias

paton, patos, patr-, patras, patres conscripti, patresfamilias, patri, patri-, patria potestas, patrial, patriarch

Definition for patresfamilias (2 of 2)

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.
  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 related to patresfamilias

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 patresfamilias

  • Isn't it rather the fault of the audience, of your respectable residents, your patresfamilias?

    The Possessed |Fyodor Dostoevsky

  • And what do our patresfamilias, the officials, the wives and daughters, do in such cases?

    The Possessed |Fyodor Dostoevsky

British Dictionary definitions for patresfamilias

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