early 15c., "member of the ancient Roman noble order," from Middle French patricien, from Latin patricius "of the rank of the nobles, of the senators; of fatherly dignity," from patres conscripti "Roman senators," literally "fathers," plural of pater "father" (see father (n.)). Contrasted, in ancient Rome, with plebeius. Applied to noble citizens and higher orders of free folk in medieval Italian and German cities (sense attested in English from 1610s); hence "nobleman, aristocrat" in a modern sense (1630s). As an adjective, attested from 1610s, from the noun.
双语例句
1. He was a lean, patrician gent in his early sixties.
他60岁出头，是位有着贵族气派的清瘦绅士。
来自柯林斯例句
2. The old patrician was buried in the family vault.
这位老贵族埋在家族的墓地里.
来自《简明英汉词典》
3. But in practice Geneva was a patrician gerontocracy, dominated by a few families.
