potestas

noun

po·​tes·​tas

-eˌstäs,

-tas

plural potestates

ˌpōˌteˈstäˌtās,

ˌpätəˈstāt(ˌ)ēz

: the legal authority of a Roman citizen over his descendants and others in his household compare patria potestas

Word History

Etymology

Latin potestat-, potestas power, irregular from potis able, capable + -tat-, -tas -ty

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