Where does “impotently” come from?
Impotently comes from English impotent plus Middle English -ly, Old English -līċ, Latin in- and in meaning "not," and Proto-Indo-European ne and ḱóm.
impotently (English): In an impotent manner
Definitions
- In an impotent manner
Ancestry of “impotently”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | impotent | lacking physical strength or vigor; weak; lacking... |
| 2 | Old French | impotent | — |
| 3 | Latin | impotēns | Powerless, weak, feeble, impotent, helpless, puny |
| 4 | Latin | potēns | being able (to), able; potent, mighty, strong, powerful |
| 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 |