Where does “possible” come from?
Possible comes from Middle English possible, from Old French possible, from Latin possibilis, derived from Latin possum meaning "to be able," itself from Proto-Indo-European pótis meaning "master" or "lord."
possible (English): Able but not certain to happen; neither...
Definitions
- Able but not certain to happen; neither...
Ancestry of “possible”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | possible | — |
| 2 | Old French | possible | — |
| 3 | Latin | possibilis | possible, that may exist, that may be done |
| 4 | Latin | -bilis | -ble |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | -ðlis | Forms adjectives from verb stems indicating capacity or worth of being acted on |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -dʰlis | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -dʰlom | Alternative form of *-trom; instrumental suffix;... |