The term was invented by the Romans to denote a new social organism, whose head ruled over wife and children and a number of slaves, and was invested under Roman paternal power with rights of life and death over them all.

• 这一用语是罗马人所发明，用以表示一种新的社会机体，这种机体的首长，以罗马的父权支配着妻子﹑子女和一定数量的奴隶，并且对他们握有生杀之权。