patrician

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patrician^¹

/pəˈtɹɪʃən/

Rhymes with -ɪʃən

Where it comes from

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

May also have been derived from Latin patricius + -ian

noun patricians · patritian

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. Noble Patricians, Patrons of my right, / Defend the iuſtice of my Cauſe with Armes.
A person of high birth; a nobleman. The emperor elevated several loyal families to the status of patricians.
One familiar with the works of the Christian Fathers; one versed in patristic lore or life.

adjective more patrician · most patrician · patritian

Of or pertaining to the Roman patres (“fathers”) or senators, or patricians. […] I ſee Th’ Inſulting Tyrant prancing o’er the Field Strow’d with Rome’s Citizens, and drench’d in Slaughter, His Horſe’s Hoofs wet with Patrician Blood.
Of or pertaining to a person of high birth; noble; not plebeian; aristocratic. born in the patrician file of society
Characteristic of or appropriate to a person of high birth; classy. 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
Politically active to help people in lower classes, especially in a patronizing or condescending way. It will speed the shrivelling of the patrician “one nation” Tories, who tried to curb the extremes of Thatcherism and ended by providing its veils.

Patrician^²

adjective

not comparable Of or relating to Saint Patrick.

Translations

Every language

noun member of Roman aristocracy

Español	patricio
Português	patrício
Français	patricien, patrice
Deutsch	Patrizier
Italiano	patrizio
Ελληνικά	πατρίκιος patríkios
Русский	патри́ций patrícij

noun nobleman

Português	patrício, nobre
Deutsch	Patrizier
Ελληνικά	πατρίκιος patríkios

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MLA

"patrician." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/patrician. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

patrician. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/patrician

Chicago

"patrician." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/patrician.

BibTeX

@misc{patrician_2026,
  title = {patrician},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/patrician},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}