Etymology and origin of the Latin word patrinus
- Confidence
- Established
- Formation
- Derivation
- First attested
- 752 a charter of King Pippin More words from the 8th century
- Ultimate origin
- Latin pater
Etymology tree
From the same root
Forms
patrīnus m (genitive patrīnī); second declension[1]
Etymology
It is formed from Latin pater (“father”) + -īnus, on the stem patr-.[1][2]
Earliest recorded meaning
Wiktionary dates its first record to the eighth century.[1] Du Cange quotes a charter of King Pippin of 752 calling Willibrord patrinus videlicet seu spiritualis pater noster, “our godfather, that is, our spiritual father”.[3]
Semantic evolution
It is the Christian sponsor who lifts a child from the font, a godfather;[3][4][5] the plural patrini meant godparents, and it was also used for patronus.[4] A decretal quoted by Du Cange allows a single patrinus at catechism, baptism and confirmation when necessity requires.[3] In Æthelweard's chronicle Guthrum receives King Alfred as his godfather at baptism,[6] and a synodal statute of 1240 reminds godparents to instruct the children in the faith they promised.[6]
Its descendants include Italian padrino and French parrain.[1][3][2]
Timeline
- 752 – A charter of King Pippin calls Willibrord his patrinus.[3]
- 1240 – A synodal statute reminds godparents of their promise.[6]
- 1559 – A text quoted by the DMLBS pairs patrini with matrinae, godmothers.[6]
Meanings
Noun
- (Medieval Latin) A godfather, sponsor at baptism.[4][5][3]
- (Medieval Latin, plural) Godparents.[4]
- (Medieval Latin) A patron.[4]
Related words
Usage notes
The patrinus printed in Vallarsi's edition of Jerome's work against Jovinian is, according to the TLL, a misread abbreviation of paternus.[7]
References
- ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
- ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
- ^ a b c d e f du Cange, Charles du Fresne, et al. (1883–1887), Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, augmented ed. by Léopold Favre, Niort: L. Favre
- ^ a b c d e Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
- ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
- ^ a b c d Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
- ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
Cite this entry
“Patrinus.” Etymologically, 13 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/la/patrinus. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.
Last edited on . ·