Where does “Power Five” come from?
Power Five (English) comes from English Power, from Middle English power, from Anglo-Norman poer, from Latin potēre, from Latin posse, from Latin potis, from Proto-Italic potis, from Proto-Indo-European pótis — to drink.
Power Five (English): The five college football conferences (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC) that traditionally contain the strongest programs, and whose champions are guaranteed berths in one of the six bowl games associated with the College Football Playoff
Definitions
- The five college football conferences (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC) that traditionally contain the strongest programs, and whose champions are guaranteed berths in one of the six bowl games associated with the College Football Playoff
Ancestry of “Power Five”, step by step
Power Five traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English Power
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Power | A button of a computer, a video game console, or... |
| 2 | Middle English | power | Ability, power or capability |
| 3 | Anglo-Norman | poer | — |
| 4 | Latin | potēre | — |
| 5 | Latin | posse | present active infinitive of possum "to be able... |
| 6 | Latin | potis | able, capable, possible |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | potis | master, in control of |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | pótis | master, ruler; husband |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | ph₃tis | — |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | peh₃- | to drink |