paterfamilias: Meaning and Definition of

pa•ter•fa•mil•i•as

Pronunciation: (pā"tur-fu-mil'ē-us, pä"-, pat"ur-), [key]
— pl. pa•ter•fa•mil•i•as•es pa•tres•fa•mil•i•as
  1. the male head of a household or family, usually the father.
    1. the head of the Roman family; a juridical entity who holds the patria potestas.
    2. a person who is not under the patria potestas of another.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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