Where does “possessing” come from?
Possess comes from Middle English possessen, from Old French possesser, from Latin possessus, past participle of possideo, meaning to own or hold, from potis meaning able or powerful, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European sed- meaning to sit.
possessing (English): present participle of possess
Definitions
- present participle of possess
Ancestry of “possessing”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | possess | To have; to have ownership of; To take control of... |
| 2 | Middle English | possessen | — |
| 3 | Middle French | possesser | to possess |
| 4 | Old French | possesser | to possess |
| 5 | Latin | possessus | possessed; seized |
| 6 | Latin | possideō | to have, hold, own, possess |
| 7 | Latin | potis | able, capable, possible |
| 8 | Proto-Italic | potis | master, in control of |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | pótis | master, ruler; husband |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | ph₃tis | — |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | peh₃- | to drink |