patriciate
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pa·tri·ci·ate
(pə-trĭsh′ē-ĭt, -āt′)n.
1. Nobility or aristocracy.
2. The rank, position, or term of office of a patrician.
[Latin patriciātus, from patricius, patrician; see patrician.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
patriciate
(pəˈtrɪʃɪɪt; -ˌeɪt)n
1. (Historical Terms) the dignity, position, or rank of a patrician
2. (Historical Terms) the class or order of patricians
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
pa•tri•ci•ate
(pəˈtrɪʃ i ɪt, -ˌeɪt)n.
1. the patrician class.
2. patrician rank.
[1650–60; < Medieval Latin patriciātus < Latin patrici(us) patrician]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
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patriciate
nounPeople of the highest social level:
aristocracy, blue blood, crème de la crème, elite, flower, gentility, gentry, nobility, quality, society, upper class, who's who.
Informal: upper crust.
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.