Parens patriæ
Defined in 1 dictionary — Black's (1910)
Black's Law Dictionary
Henry Campbell Black, M.A. · 1910
Parent of the country. In England, the king. In the United States, the state, as a sovereign, is the parens patnœ. "Parens" est nomen generale ad omne genus cognationis. Co. Litt. 80. "Parent" is a name general for every kind of relationship.
Defined under Parens in Black's Law Dictionary.