Parens

I. A parent; a father or mother. Parens patriae: parent of the country, the sovereign, — in England the king, in the United States the state. In old English and feudal law. A relative by blood; a cousin. Parens est nomen generale ad omne genus cognationis: parent is a general name for every kind of relationship. In the civil law. Any relative in the direct ascending line, whether male or female; a progenitor.,