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patteran, patrin noun a minister, a clergyman 20. Compare been pattern etymology: perhaps as collected by Borrow a development of Romany patrin ‘A Gypsy trail; handfuls of leaves or grass cast by the Gypsies on the road, to denote to those behind the way which they have taken’; Hayward also attests patteran, patrin with the same meaning as Borrow; attested by Galloway Tinkler-Gypsies and BS in TDITA; also collected by EMcC/PS note:

Grellmann (1787) cites the form Patrin ‘a leaf’ from Continental gipsies; Hayward attests the form pattin ‘a leaf’. Fonseca records the same meaning bening used by Polish Gypsies in Bury me Standing 1996.