patrician

1 of 2

noun

pa·​tri·​cian pə-ˈtri-shən How to pronounce patrician (audio)
plural patricians
1
: a member of one of the original citizen families of ancient Rome
2
a
: a person of high birth : aristocrat
one of the most nobly born of English patriciansSam Schulman
b
: a person of breeding and cultivation
a tall patrician … who looked as if she was accustomed to serving on boards and making important decisionsJ. A. Michener

patrician

2 of 2

adjective

1
a
: of, relating to, having, or characterized by high birth, rank, or station : aristocratic
a patrician family
But coming from a long patrician line of New England gentry … he is vulnerable to the populist card that his rivals are playing hard.Peter Oborne
More common than middle-class organizations in the mid-nineteenth century, however, were the exclusive patrician male enclaves, such as Boston's Somerset club …Howard P. Chudacoff
b
: associated with or characteristic of people of high social rank
his patrician bearing
a stately, patrician residence
… they spent freely on virtually everything that could be acquired to accommodate a patrician life-style.Simon Schama
… some visitors may prefer the more patrician comfort of hotels in L'Aquila.Niccolò Vivarelli
2
: of or relating to a member of one of the original citizen families of ancient Rome
… his pride was gratified by the choice of Nomius and Anatolius, two ministers of consular or patrician rank …Edward Gibbon

Did you know?

A patrician was originally a descendant of one of the original citizen families of ancient Rome. Until about 350 B.C., only patricians could hold the office of senator, consul, or pontifex (priest). Later, the word was applied to members of the nobility created by the Roman emperor Constantine. As time went by, other nobles, such as those in medieval Italian republics and in German city-states, also came to be known as patricians. Today someone's appearance, manners, or tastes can be described as patrician, whether the person is actually of high birth or not. The actress Grace Kelly, an immigrant's daughter, was admired for her patrician beauty even before she became Princess Grace of Monaco, with classic features worthy of ancient Rome's finest sculptors.

Examples of patrician in a Sentence

Noun the Southern patricians who once resided in these stately plantation homes Adjective came from a patrician family
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
But Trump is not the familiar breed of stuffy, patrician Republican. Becca Rothfeld, Washington Post, 31 July 2024 Cyrus Vance, Carter’s patrician secretary of state, called for a coalition government between the shah and his opponents, which Khomeini curtly rejected. Ray Takeyh, Foreign Affairs, 26 Feb. 2021
Adjective
Van Zweden has been a courteous concerto accompanist, and in January, with the pianist Rudolf Buchbinder, a soloist of patrician grace, Beethoven’s Fourth Concerto glowed, surging forward without feeling pressed. Zachary Woolfe, New York Times, 7 June 2024 Such positions, along with the pope’s easygoing manner, earned him a form of pop-cultural celebrity never sought or won by his immediate predecessor, the dour and patrician Benedict. Maria Clara Bingemer, Foreign Affairs, 14 June 2018 See all Example Sentences for patrician 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'patrician.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English patricion, from Anglo-French patrician, from Latin patricius, from patres senators, from plural of pater father — more at father

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1533, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of patrician was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near patrician

Cite this Entry

“Patrician.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/patrician. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

patrician

noun
pa·​tri·​cian pə-ˈtrish-ən How to pronounce patrician (audio)
1
: a member of one of the original citizen families of ancient Rome
2
: a person of high birth or position : aristocrat
patrician adjective

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