patricians
|pa-tri-cians|
🇺🇸
/pəˈtrɪʃənz/
🇬🇧
/pəˈtrɪʃ(ə)nz/
(patrician)
noble class
Etymology
'patrician' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'patricius', where 'patres' meant 'fathers' or 'heads of families'.
'patrician' changed from Late Latin 'patricius' into Old French 'patricien' and entered Middle English as 'patricien', eventually becoming the modern English word 'patrician'.
Initially, it meant 'a member of the patriciate or noble families', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'a person of high social rank or refined manners'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural form of 'patrician': members of the original aristocratic families of ancient Rome; more generally, people of high birth, social rank, or refined upbringing.
The patricians dominated the Senate and held most of the political power in early Rome.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2026/01/22 13:01