Lewis & Short

Parsing inflected forms may not always work as expected. If the following does not give the correct word, try Latin Words or Perseus.

1. pā̆trŭus, i, m. [pater, like the Sanscr. pitrivya, patruus, from pitri], a father’s brother, paternal uncle (opp. avunculus, a mother’s brother, maternal uncle); cf. Dig. 38, 10, 10.

  1. I. Lit.: L. Cicero patruus, Cic. de Or. 2, 1, 2: tutor et patruus, id. Verr. 2, 1, 53, § 139; Hor. S. 1, 6, 131: patruus magnus = frater avi, Dig. 38, 10, 10: patruus major = frater proavi, Tac. A. 12, 22; Dig. 38, 10, 10: major patruus = avi et aviae patruus, Paul. ex Fest. p. 136 Müll.: patruus maximus = frater abavi, id. ib. Fragm. 17; plur., Juv. 1, 158; 6, 567.
  2. II. Transf., a severe reprover (as uncles are apt to co towards their nephews): pertristis quidam patruus, censor, magister, Cic. Cael. 11, 25: ne sis patruus mihi, Hor. S. 2, 3, 88: cum sapimus patruos, Pers. 1, 11; Manil. 5, 449.

2. pătrŭus, a, um, adj. [1. patruus], of or belonging to a father’s brother, of an uncle (poet.): patruae verbera linguae, an uncle’s, Hor C. 3, 12, 2: ense cadit patruo, Ov. F. 4, 55 (al. patrui).
Comically in sup.: patrue mi patruissime, my uncle, my best of uncles! Plaut. Poen. 5, 4, 24; 26.