Where does “pater familias” come from?

pater familias (Latin) comes from Latin pater, from Proto-Italic patēr, from Proto-Indo-European ph₂tḗr, from Proto-Indo-European peh₂- — to protect; to shepherd.

pater familias (Latin): head of household

Definitions

  1. head of household

Ancestry of “pater familias”, step by step

pater familias traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Latin pater

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinpaterfather; head of household; parent
2Proto-Italicpatērfather
3Proto-Indo-Europeanph₂tḗrfather
4Proto-Indo-Europeanpeh₂-to protect; to shepherd

via Latin familiās

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinfamiliāsretained in the expression
Every word from Proto-Indo-European peh₂- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European ph₂tḗr →Every word from Proto-Italic patēr →