patricius

Latin > English (Lewis & Short)

pā̆trĭcĭus: (pā̆trĭtĭus, Aug. Mon. Ancyr.), a, um, adj. patres,
I of the rank or dignity of the patres; belonging to the patricians, patrician, noble (cf. nobilis): patricii pueri, Plaut. Capt. 5, 4, 5: familia, Cic. Leg. 2, 3, 6; Vell. 2, 59, 2: gens, Juv. 10, 332: sanguis, Pers. 1, 61: ostrum, Stat. S. 1, 4, 97: Patricius Vicus Romae dictus eo, quod ibi patricii habitaverunt (the mod. Via Urbana), Fest. p. 221 Müll.—
II Subst.: pā̆trĭcĭus, i (usu. plur., pā̆trĭcĭi, ōrum), m., a patrician, a member of the Roman nobility, divided into patricii majorum and minorum gentium (of the older and younger families): olim patricii dicebant, plebiscitis se non teneri, Gai. Inst. 1, 3: patres ab honore, patriciique progenies eorum appellati, Liv. 1, 8 fin.: patricios Cincius ait appellari solitos, qui nunc ingenui vocentur, Fest. p. 241 Müll.; Cic. Caecin. 35, 101: patricii minorum gentium, id. Fam. 9, 21, 2: (Sulla) primus e patriciis Corneliis igni voluit cremari, of the Cornelian patricians, id. Leg. 2, 22, 57: exire e patriciis, to pass, by adoption, into a plebeian family, id. Dom. 14, 37; Juv. 8, 190; 1, 24.—In sing.: nisi qui patricius sit, Cic. Mur. 7, 15; id. Brut. 16, 62.—
   B From the time of the emperor Constantine, patricius became the title of a person high in office at court, Inscr. Grut. 1076, 2; Sid. 2, 90.