potestas
noun
po·tes·tas
-eˌstäs,
-tas
plural potestates
ˌpōˌteˈstäˌtās,
ˌpätəˈstāt(ˌ)ēz
: the legal authority of a Roman citizen over his descendants and others in his household compare patria potestas
Word History
Etymology
Latin potestat-, potestas power, irregular from potis able, capable + -tat-, -tas -ty