noun
a plural of paterfamilias.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
noun, plural pa·ter·fa·mil·i·as·es for 1, pa·tres·fa·mil·i·as 
[pey-treez-fuh-mil-ee-uh
s, pa] .
[pey-treez-fuh-mil-ee-uhs, pa] . 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.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To patresfamilias
00:10
Patresfamilias
has a plethora of syllables.
So is antidisestablishmentarianism. Does it mean:
| (used as a nonsense word by children to express approval or to represent the longest word in English.) |
| opposition to the withdrawal of state support or recognition from an established church, esp. the Anglican Church in 19th-century England. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
paterfamilias (ˌpeɪtəfəˈmɪlɪˌæs) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n , pl patresfamilias | |
| 1. | the male head of a household |
| 2. | Roman law |
| a. the head of a household having authority over its members | |
| b. the parental or other authority of another person | |
| [Latin: father of the family] | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
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, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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