Meanings
plural paterfamiliases · plural patresfamilias · alternative pater familias
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA man who is the head of a household, family or tribe.
More synonyms by meaning
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinpater“father”
- Latinpater familiās
- Middle Englishpaterfamilias
- Englishpaterfamilias
(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".
More words from Middle English, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic رَبّ اَلْعَائِلَة
- رَبّ اَلْعَائِلَة (rabb al-ʕāʔila)a man who is the head of a household
German Paterfamilias, Familienvater
- Paterfamiliasa man who is the head of a household
- Familienvatera man who is the head of a household
Greek πάτερ φαμίλιας
- πάτερ φαμίλιας (páter famílias)a man who is the head of a household
Hungarian családfő, családapa
- családfőa man who is the head of a household
- családapaa man who is the head of a household
Irish ceann tí, ceann urra teaghlaigh
- ceann tía man who is the head of a household
- ceann urra teaghlaigha man who is the head of a household
Italian padre di famiglia
- padre di famigliaa man who is the head of a household
Latin pater familias
- pater familiasa man who is the head of a household
Spanish paterfamilias, pater-familias
- paterfamiliasa man who is the head of a household
- pater-familiasa man who is the head of a household
Cite this entry
paterfamilias. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/paterfamilias
“paterfamilias.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/paterfamilias. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “paterfamilias,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/paterfamilias.
Source: paterfamilias on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.