pater familias

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See also: paterfamilias

English

Noun

pater familias

  1. Alternative spelling of paterfamilias

Latin

Alternative forms

Etymology

From pater (father) + familiās, an archaic genitive of familia (family", "household), literally meaning "father of the family" or "father of the household".

Pronunciation

Noun

pater familiās m (genitive patris familiās, feminine māter familiās); third declension

  1. head of household

Declension

Third-declension noun.

Case Singular Plural
Nominative pater familiās patrēs familiās
patrēs familiārum
Genitive patris familiās patrum familiās
patrum familiārum
Dative patrī familiās patribus familiās
patribus familiārum
Accusative patrem familiās patrēs familiās
patrēs familiārum
Ablative patre familiās patribus familiās
patribus familiārum
Vocative pater familiās patrēs familiās
patrēs familiārum

Descendants

  • French: père de famille (calque)
  • Italian: padrefamiglia;

Italian: padre di famiglia (calque)

Further reading

  • pater familias”, in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898), Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers