Where does “nilpotent” come from?
nilpotent (English) comes from English potent, from Middle English potent, from Latin potēns, from Latin posse, from Latin potis, from Proto-Italic potis, from Proto-Indo-European pótis, from Proto-Indo-European ph₃tis — to drink.
nilpotent (English): Such that, for some positive integer "n", "x" =...
Definitions
- Such that, for some positive integer "n", "x" =...
Ancestry of “nilpotent”, step by step
nilpotent traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English potent
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | potent | Possessing strength; Powerfully effective; Having... |
| 2 | Middle English | potent | staff, crutch |
| 3 | Latin | potēns | being able (to), able; potent, mighty, strong, powerful |
| 4 | Latin | posse | present active infinitive of possum "to be able... |
| 5 | Latin | potis | able, capable, possible |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | potis | master, in control of |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | pótis | master, ruler; husband |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | ph₃tis | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | peh₃- | to drink |