patrician

See also: Patrician

English

Borrowed from Middle French patricien, from Latin patricius, derived from patrēs cōnscrīptī (“Roman senators”).

patrician (plural patricians)

(Ancient Rome) A member of any of the families constituting the populus Romanus, or body of Roman citizens, before the development of the plebeian order; later, one who, by right of birth or by special privilege conferred, belonged to the senior class of Romans, who, with certain property, had by right a seat in the Roman Senate.
- c. 1588–1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Lamentable Tragedy of Titus Andronicus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i], page 31, column 1:
  Noble Patricians, Patrons of my right, / Defend the iuſtice of my Cauſe with Armes.
A person of high birth; a nobleman.
One familiar with the works of the Christian Fathers; one versed in patristic lore or life.

member of Roman aristocracy

nobleman

patrician (comparative more patrician, superlative most patrician)

Of or pertaining to the Roman patres (“fathers”) or senators, or patricians.
Of, or pertaining to a person of high birth; noble; not plebeian; aristocratic.
- 1829 May 2, [Walter Scott], Anne of Geierstein; or, The Maiden of the Mist. […], volumes (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […] [Ballantyne and Company] for Cadell and Co., […]; London: Simpkin and Marshall, […], →OCLC:
  born in the patrician file of society
- 1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, →OCLC, Act I, scene i, page 1:
  his horse's hoofs wet with patrician blood
Characteristic of or appropriate to a person of high birth; classy.
- 2021 February 9, Christina Newland, “Is Tom Hanks part of a dying breed of genuine movie stars?”, in BBC‎:
  Hanks' taste in projects and directors is undoubtedly patrician and with a few exceptions like 1993's Philadelphia, the first mainstream film about the Aids crisis, rarely provocative

Borrowed from French patricien.

patrician m (plural patricieni)

Declension of patrician

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