Main Entry: pa·ter·fa·mil·i·as

Pronunciation: \ˌpa-tər-fə-ˈmi-lē-əs, ˌpä-, ˌpā-\

Function: noun

Inflected Form(s): plural pa·tres·fa·mil·i·as \ˌpā-ˌtrēz-, ˌpä-ˌtrās-\

Etymology: Middle English, from Latin, from pater father + familias, archaic genitive of familia household — more at father, family

Date: 15th century

1 : the male head of a household
2 : the father of a family
3 : a man who originates or is a leading figure in something (as a movement, discipline, or enterprise)