paterfamilias

One entry found for paterfamilias.

Main Entry: pa·ter·fa·mil·i·as
Pronunciation: "pa-t&r-f&-'mi-lE-&s, "pä-, "pA-
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural pa·tres·fa·mil·i·as /"pA-"trEz-, "pä-"trAs-/
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin, from pater father + familias, archaic genitive of familia household -- more at FATHER, FAMILY
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)