Etymology Explorer › Dutch

Where does “supermacht” come from?

supermacht (Dutch) comes from English superpower, from English Power, from Middle English power, from Anglo-Norman poer, from Latin potēre, from Latin posse, from Latin potis, from Proto-Italic potis — to drink.

supermacht (Dutch): A military/political superpower, a great power of...

Definitions

  1. A military/political superpower, a great power of...

Ancestry of “supermacht”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsuperpowerExcessive or superior power; A sovereign state...
2EnglishPowerA button of a computer, a video game console, or...
3Middle Englishpower—
4Anglo-Normanpoer—
5Latinpotēre—
6Latinpossepresent active infinitive of possum  "to be able...
7Latinpotisable, capable, possible
8Proto-Italicpotis—
9Proto-Indo-Europeanpótismaster, ruler; husband
10Proto-Indo-Europeanph₃tis—
11Proto-Indo-Europeanpeh₃-to drink
Every word from Proto-Indo-European peh₃- →