pater

plural paters

1. formalhumorousFather.

   Strangled by the wishes of pater / Hoping for the arms of mater / Get to me the sooner or later

   1985, Mick Hucknall, Neil Moss, “Holding Back the Years”, in Picture Book, performed by Simply Red

   2 more examples

   Burlington Bertie's the latest young jay He rents a swell flat somewhere Kensington way He spends the good oof that his pater has made Along with the Brandy and Soda Brigade.

   1900, Harry B. Norris, “Burlington Bertie”

   The pater is the kindest-hearted old soul, but there are times when he hates me. I'm a thing which every decent middle-class person hates, a problem, like the unemployed, you know, or the ex-soldier. We are always in such a hurry to forget uncomfortable things, and I'm an uncomfortable thing. Poor old dad; he gets me at breakfast; he gets me in the morning paper.

   1923, Warwick Deeping, The Secret Sanctuary, e-artnow, published 2021

1. A surname