Famacide

A slanderer. FAMILIA (Lat.) In Roman Law.

A family

This word had four different acceptations in the Roman law. In the first and most restricted sense it designated the pater-familias, — his wife, his children, and other descendants subject to his paternal power. In the second and more enlarged sense it comprehended all the agnates, — that is to say, all the different families who would all be subject to the paternal authority of a common chief if he were still living. Here it has the same meaning as agnatio. In a third acceptation it comprises the slaves and those who are in mancipio of the chief, although considered only as things, and without any tie of relationship. And, lastly, it signifies the whole fortune or patrimony of the chief.

See "Pater-Familias;" 1 Ortolan, 28.

In Old English Law. A household; all the servants belonging to one master. Du Cange; Cowell. A sufficient quantity of land to maintain one family. The same quantity of land is called sometimes mansa (a manse), familia, carucata. Du Cange; Cunningham; Cowell; Creasy, Church Hist.