Where does “nilpotently” come from?
nilpotently (English) comes from English nilpotent, 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 — to drink.
nilpotently (English): In a nilpotent fashion
Ancestry of “nilpotently”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | nilpotent | Such that, for some positive integer "n", "x" =... |
| 2 | English | potent | Possessing strength; Powerfully effective; Having... |
| 3 | Middle English | potent | — |
| 4 | Latin | potēns | — |
| 5 | Latin | posse | present active infinitive of possum "to be able... |
| 6 | Latin | potis | able, capable, possible |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | potis | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | pótis | master, ruler; husband |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | ph₃tis | — |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | peh₃- | to drink |