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paterfamilias

 - 3 dictionary results

pa⋅ter⋅fa⋅mil⋅i⋅as

  [pey-ter-fuh-mil-ee-uhs, pah-, pat-er-]
Use paterfamilias in a Sentence
–noun, plural pa⋅ter⋅fa⋅mil⋅i⋅as⋅es for 1, pa⋅tres⋅fa⋅mil⋅i⋅as  [pey-treez-fuh-mil-ee-uhs, pah-, pa-] for 2.
1. the male head of a household or family, usually the father.
2. Roman Law.
a. the head of the Roman family; a juridical entity who holds the patria potestas.
b. a person who is not under the patria potestas of another.
Origin:
1425–75; late ME < L: lit., father (i.e., master) of the household, with archaic genitive form familiās of familia; see family

Related forms:
pa⋅ter⋅fa⋅mil⋅iar, adjective
pa⋅ter⋅fa⋅mil⋅iar⋅ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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pa·ter·fa·mil·i·as   (pā'tər-fə-mĭl'ē-əs, pä'-, pāt'ər-)   
n.   pl. pa·tres·fa·mil·i·as (pā'trēz-, pä'-, pāt'rēz-)
A man who is the head of a household or the father of a family.

[Latin paterfamiliās : pater, father; see pater + familiās, archaic genitive of familia, family; see family.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

paterfamilias 
c.1430, from L., lit. "master of a house, head of a family," from pater "father" + familias, old gen. of familia "family."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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