paterfamilias

The story

1. Latin · derived frompater“father”
2. Latin · derived frompater familiās
3. Middle English · inherited frompaterfamilias
4. English todaypaterfamilias

(c. 1425 to 1475) From late Middle English paterfamilias, from Latin pater familiās. From Latin pater (“father”) + familiās, archaic genitive of familia (“family; household”). Literally, "father of the family" or "father of the household".

Words from the same roots