Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “possessival” come from?

possessival (English) comes from English possessive, from Middle French possessif, from Latin possessivus, from Latin possideō, from Latin potis, from Proto-Italic potis, from Proto-Indo-European pótis, from Proto-Indo-European ph₃tis — to drink.

possessival (English): Of or pertaining to the possessive case

Definitions

  1. Of or pertaining to the possessive case

Ancestry of “possessival”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishpossessiveOf or pertaining to ownership or possession;...
2Middle Frenchpossessif—
3Latinpossessivuspossessive
4Latinpossideō—
5Latinpotisable, capable, possible
6Proto-Italicpotis—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpótismaster, ruler; husband
8Proto-Indo-Europeanph₃tis—
9Proto-Indo-Europeanpeh₃-to drink
Every word from Proto-Indo-European peh₃- →