Where does “prepossessing” come from?
prepossessing (English) comes from English prepossess, from English possess, from Middle English possessen, from Middle French possesser, from Old French possesser, from Latin possessus, from Latin possideō, from Latin potis — to drink.
prepossessing (English): Tending to invite favor; attracting confidence,...
Definitions
- Tending to invite favor; attracting confidence,...
Ancestry of “prepossessing”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | prepossess | To preoccupy, as ground or land; to take previous... |
| 2 | English | possess | To have; to have ownership of; To take control of... |
| 3 | Middle English | possessen | — |
| 4 | Middle French | possesser | to possess |
| 5 | Old French | possesser | to possess |
| 6 | Latin | possessus | possessed; seized |
| 7 | Latin | possideō | to have, hold, own, possess |
| 8 | Latin | potis | able, capable, possible |
| 9 | Proto-Italic | potis | master, in control of |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | pótis | master, ruler; husband |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | ph₃tis | — |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | peh₃- | to drink |