|pa]d.ə(r)fəˈmilēəs, |pä], |pȧ], ]tə(r), -ēˌas noun
( -es ; see sense 1 )
Etymology: Latin, from pater father + familias, old gen. of familia family — more at father , family
1. plural pa·tres·fa·mil·i·as -a.(ˌ)trēzf-; -ä.ˌtrāsf-, -ȧ.ˌ- Roman law
a. : the head of a household
b. : someone who is his own master — compare patria potestas , sui juris
2. : the father of a family : the male head of a household
was rapidly moving into the role of paterfamilias , for his own children numbered four — Jean Holloway