Where does “prepossess” come from?
prepossess (English) comes from English possess, from Middle English possessen, from Middle French possesser, from Old French possesser, from Latin possessus, from Latin possideō, from Latin potis, from Proto-Italic potis — to drink.
prepossess (English): To preoccupy, as ground or land; to take previous...
Definitions
- To preoccupy, as ground or land; to take previous...
Ancestry of “prepossess”, 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 | — |
| 7 | Latin | potis | able, capable, possible |
| 8 | Proto-Italic | potis | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | pótis | master, ruler; husband |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | ph₃tis | — |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | peh₃- | to drink |