Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word
patria potestas. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
patria potestas, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
patria potestas in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
patria potestas you have here. The definition of the word
patria potestas will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
patria potestas, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Etymology
From Latin patria potestās.
Noun
patria potestas (uncountable)
- (historical) The legal power and rights of a Roman father over his children and descendants by virtue of his paternity.
- 1870, William George Smith (ed.), A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, 3rd American ed., page 742
- It was a condition of the patria potestas that the child should be born in marriage.
1890, James George Frazer, The Golden Bough, volume 2, page 228:The Roman Vestals appear to have been under the patria potestas of the king, and, in repubmlican times, of the Pontifex Maximus, who succeeded to some of the king's functions. But if they were under the patria potestas of the king, they must have been either his wives or daughters.
Translations
legal power and rights of a Roman father