What does "patrician" mean?
Patrician: Of, pertaining to, or appropriate to, a person of high birth; noble; not plebeian. Born in the patrician file of society. Sir W. Scott. His horse's hoofs wet with patrician blood. Addison.
Additional senses
- 2.(Rom. Antiq.) Originally, 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 nobility.
- 3.A person of high birth; a nobleman.
- 4.One familiar with the works of the Christian Fathers; one versed in patristic lore. [R.] Colridge.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00