English vocabulary · C1
Patrician
/pəˈtrɪʃ.ən/ · adj., n.
It means upper class and refined in a way that comes from an old, powerful family.
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Example sentences
- His patrician accent made others feel small.
- She dressed simply but moved with a patrician grace.
Word origin and roots
from Latin
- patr — father (from Latin)
- ician — class person (from Latin)
Synonyms and nuances
- aristocratic (born into noble or ruling class)
- noble (distinguished by high birth or character)
- elite (belonging to the most privileged group)
Words with the same root
patr — father
- patron — a person who supports or protects another — a fatherly guardian
- patriarch — the male head of a family or group — the father in authority
- patriot — a person who loves their fatherland and defends it
Lesson notes
Patrician. It means upper class and refined in a way that comes from an old, powerful family.
Similar words are aristocratic, noble, and elite. Use patrician when someone acts refined because of old family power.
His patrician accent made others feel small. She dressed simply but moved with a patrician grace.
From Latin. Patr means father. Ician means class person. Father plus class person: that is patrician.