Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “possessive” come from?

Possessive comes from Middle French possessif, from Latin possessivus, derived from Latin sedēre meaning to sit or possess, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European sed-.

possessive (English): Of or pertaining to ownership or possession;...

Definitions

  1. Of or pertaining to ownership or possession;...

Ancestry of “possessive”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchpossessif—
2Latinpossessivuspossessive
3Latinpossideō—
4Latinpotisable, capable, possible
5Proto-Italicpotis—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpótismaster, ruler; husband
7Proto-Indo-Europeanph₃tis—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpeh₃-to drink

Words derived from “possessive”

  • possessiveness
  • possessively
  • nonpossessive
  • unpossessive
  • possessivity
  • possessival
Every word from Proto-Indo-European peh₃- →