Padre

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈpɑdɹeɪ/

Definitions

1. A Roman Catholic clergyman authorized to perform religious duties ; the term used in Spanish and Italian to mean a male parent
2. A priest in the Catholic Church who conducts religious services and offers spiritual guidance ; a word in Spanish and Italian signifying a male parent
3. An ordained clergyman in the Catholic tradition responsible for worship and sacraments ; a familial title in Spanish and Italian for a man who is a parent

Etymology: The English "padre" is a borrowing of a word meaning "father," which Spanish, Italian and Portuguese all used as a respectful title for a priest. Those languages took it from Latin "pater," the same root that gives English "father," so the two words are doublets: one came into English through inheritance and the other through a later trip via Romance languages. British soldiers and army chaplains brought the word into common English use, and it kept its affectionate, slightly informal tone. Because the title was used across the Spanish- and Italian-speaking worlds, English speakers picked it up as a familiar way of addressing a chaplain rather than a formal ecclesiastical term.

Synonyms: father, dad, pop, papa, parent

Antonyms: child, offspring, descendant, son, daughter