LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
adjectivefirst/second-declension adjective

paternus

paternus (feminine paterna, neuter paternum)
Classical[paˈtɛr.nʊs]Ecclesiastical[paˈtɛr.nus]

Meaning

  1. adjectiveof or pertaining to a father, paternal, fatherly
  2. adjectiverelated through the father, or his side of the family, paternal
  3. adjectiveof or pertaining to one's forefathers, ancestral
  4. adjectiveof or connected with one's origin or birthplace, native

Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms

Paternus · Patrius

Paternus denotes, like πατρῷος, what belongs to a father, and is derived from him, like paternal; whereas patrius, what belongs to and is derived from one’s ancestors or native country, like πάτριος.

Declension

singular
formmasculinefeminineneuter
nominativepaternuspaternapaternum
genitivepaternīpaternaepaternī
dativepaternōpaternaepaternō
accusativepaternumpaternampaternum
ablativepaternōpaternāpaternō
vocativepaternepaternapaternum
plural
formmasculinefeminineneuter
nominativepaternīpaternaepaterna
genitivepaternōrumpaternārumpaternōrum
dativepaternīspaternīspaternīs
accusativepaternōspaternāspaterna
ablativepaternīspaternīspaternīs
vocativepaternīpaternaepaterna

Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book

exheres paternorum bonorum (De Or. 1. 38. 175)
disinherited.

păternus, a, um, adj. pater,
I. of or belonging to a father, fatherly, paternal (said of the property, possessions, external relations, etc., of a father; while patrius is used of that which belongs essentially to his nature, dignity, or duty; hence, in good prose: patrius amor, animus, patria potestas, patrium jus; but paterni agri, liberi, servi, liberti, etc.).
I. Lit.: injuria, against the father, Ter. Heaut. 5, 2, 39: haud paternum istuc dedisti, id. Ad. 3, 4, 4: horti, Cic. Phil. 13, 17, 34: libertus, id. Fl. 36, 89: bona paterna et avita, id. Cael. 14, 34: hospitium, Caes. B. C. 2, 25: regna, Verg. A. 3, 121: res, Hor. Ep. 1, 15, 26: animus, id. C. 2, 2, 6: paterni animi indoles (a weaker expression than patrii, v. Weissenb. ad loc., and cf. Krebs, Antibarb. p. 833), Liv. 9, 4, 9: irae, id. 2, 61: vel paternam vel avitam gloriam consequi, Cic. Brut. 33, 126: civitatem paterno consilio florentissimam accipere, id. de Or. 1, 9, 38: paternum maternumque genus et nomen, id. Phil. 10, 6, 14. —
B. Also (acc. to pater, II. B.), ancestral, of or belonging to forefathers (late Lat.): sepulchra paterna, Vulg. 2 Macc. 12, 39: mos, id. Act. 28, 17: traditio, id. 1 Pet. 1, 18.—
II. Transf.
A. Of one's native country: paterni Fluminis ripae, Hor. C. 1, 20, 5: terra, Ov. H. 13, 100.—
B. Of animals, Col. 6, 37, 2: color, id. 7, 2, 5.—
C. In gram.: casus paternus, the genitive case, Prisc. p. 670 P.

Origins

  1. Proto-Indo-European*peh₂-?
  2. Proto-Indo-European*ph₂tḗr
  3. Proto-Italic*patēr
  4. Latinpaternus

Proto-Indo-European *-nós Proto-Italic *-nos Latin -nus Latin paternus From pater (“father”) + -nus.

Elsewhere
  • Catalanpatern
  • Italianpaterno
  • Frenchpaternelfrom Middle French paternel
  • Romanianpaternalfrom Middle French paternel
  • Portuguesepaterno
  • Romanianpatern
  • Spanishpaterno
  • Galicianpaterno
Italo-Romance
  • ItalianPaderno
Ibero-Romance
  • GalicianPaderne

Quick answers

What does paternus mean in Latin?
paternus, a adjective, means “of or pertaining to a father, paternal, fatherly; related through the father, or his side of the family, paternal; of or pertaining to one's forefathers, ancestral”.
How do you pronounce paternus?
In classical Latin, [paˈtɛr.nʊs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [paˈtɛr.nus].
Where does paternus come from?
Proto-Indo-European *peh₂-? → Proto-Indo-European *ph₂tḗr → Proto-Italic *patēr → Latin paternus.